Elegy of the Phoenix
by Andromeda2050
Summary: Since overcoming the Starscourge, the world of Eos is still making amendments to heal, but the attempts to create eternal darkness have not rested. It's up to the former King's Guard to see it through. From the city of Curia, a witch princess by the name of Nyxia is joined to their company to seek out the Necromancer's Gem and destroy it. Rated M for language, violence, and smut.
1. Into The Void

"Nyxia!" called out a masculine voice through the darkness of Abstantia Cathedral, but it was only answered by its own echo. "Damn it, where did that witch get to now?" Gladiolus never imagined they would have to go through a maze to track down their companion. Behind him walked two other men, though the second was significantly further back, snapping his polaroid camera away at the old structures surrounding him.

"Keep up, Prompto," said the other as he walked just behind Gladiolus. Prompto loved nothing more than his camera...and it would be the death of him someday.

"Sorry! It's not everyday you get to walk through a cool place like this." Prompto hurried up to the pair at a skip, but their party was still short one person. Nyxia, the reason they were all here, had wandered off, which wasn't completely uncommon. Although sometimes, they had reason to be concerned when she did. She usually wasn't fully aware of what she was doing, or even where she was going. "She couldn't have gone far. We only turned our backs for a minute," Prompto added thoughtfully.

"I legitimately believe something is leading her," Ignis, the sophisticated of the three, stated. "Perhaps the Divinities." But that didn't lessen Gladio's agitation of the matter any. Screw the unseen entities that were leading this spoiled sorceress to whatever her supposed destiny was. This was the third time this happened since they agreed to her father's request to help her locate the Gem of Tenebra. The artifact, as they had initially been told, might not necessarily be in the form of a jewel. Ignis even once reminded them that 'a gem is simply something precious - it could be in the form of anything.' Ultimately, only Nyxia would know what it was by whatever force that led her.

"I legitimately believe her disappearances are getting on my last nerve," Gladio grumbled. "We don't have time for this."

"I agree it is an obstacle, but we must show patience," Ignis insisted, but the front-man ignored him, straightening his opened, black vest as he walked on. The short silence that followed was interrupted by a strange, clicking noise coming from the darkness behind the endlessly tall columns. It sounded threatening, but what it belong to, Gladio wasn't sure.

"Sounds like cicadas," Prompto said, but his nervousness indicated that probably wasn't what they were hearing. It got louder, and Gladio was the first to draw his weapon - a massive greatsword that was practically the same size as his muscular body.

Then, the silhouette of a giant creature emerged. Prompto's assumption came close - it was a huge, winged bug. The entirety of its body was painted a bright, metallic green. Even in the dark chamber of tall ceilings and faded windows, it was hard to miss. "Ugh!" Prompto shouted, drawing his two pistols. "Gross!"

The giant blade swung first, causing the over-sized insect to vigorously beat its wings. It was angry. Shots fired, and the fight was on. The clicking was much more fierce in response, almost resembling a hissing sound. The flying, monstrous bug charged at Prompto, who rolled out of the way to dodge, and he followed the maneuver with a couple of shots more at the ugly thing. It staggered back before it took flight.

"The wings!" Ignis shouted, and Gladiolus figured he addressed him, because his sword would have the best chance of landing where needed. Mere projectiles weren't going to cut it here.

"Sure, Ignis. Let me just fly up there," he answered sarcastically, mapping out a strategy.

"I'm on it!" Prompto announced, and his trigger finger flipped a tiny switch on the outer sides of his guns. Again, he had the vermin in his sight, and two, fiery projectiles shot into it, sending it into a dive bomb towards the floor. The noise of the impact resembled a collapsing house, though a lot less destruction followed. Just a mess on the floor, really.

"Well, that was easy," Prompto twirled his guns around his fingers.

"Show off." Gladio turned his head as a tiny sound chimed from the darkness.

"That was most definitely Rubia," Ignis said, "which means Nyxia can't be far."

"I swear, when I get my hands on her-"

"Easy, Gladio." He didn't like to be lectured, but regardless, he took a moment to inhale. Then, he exhaled. As far as he was concerned, Nyxia was as much a hassle as Noctis was when they walked by him. He sighed inaudibly. Former king and hero, Noctis. He still missed that kid. He might have even called him a friend.

"She's lucky she's pretty, or she might be dead."

"Pretty _tough._ I think she has more brass than you sometimes," Prompto's provoking only caused him to roll his eyes, but he kept his mouth shut. Meanwhile, the vulpine creature came into view, her bright, red fur standing out in the poorly-lit chamber. "Come here, Rubia!" Prompto knelt down, and the Carbuncle perked her ears in excitement. Prompto was Rubia's second favorite, next to her owner, as he always seem to be babying her when Nyxia wasn't looking. "Can you take us to her?"

"Mew!" Rubia's tiny, high-pitched response came, like a loud, excitable kitten. None of them could really understand her, but it seemed like she and her owner could have full conversations with each other. The fox-like creature skipped down the dark hall, and Prompto was directly behind. The other two followed with a little less eagerness, though they all knew they could rely on Rubia's dedication to her master to know they were headed in the right direction.

 _The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can go find Iris._ Gladiolus mused, hiding his distress. He had been restless for the past three days, considering his little sister had not answered any of his text messages or calls. At the very least, Iris usually got back to him within a day. This was very unlike her, especially since she was usually inseparable from her phone. He hadn't mentioned this concern to anyone about it, as he didn't want to distract them from the main mission. Besides, it could be nothing.

He hoped it was nothing. He would have rather made the trip to locate her and find her safe and sound rather than find her in trouble.

Led by the Carbuncle and the puck-sized flashlights that were pinned to their jackets, the trio made its way way deeper into the cathedral. The downward trek seemed like forever, and there were no indications from outside that the building consisted of a whole, underground area. This was a surprise to the three of them.

After a while, the columns faded into black, and it was just endless chambers of stone walls and broken wood that once shaped furniture. The entire floor was huge, and it resembled a labyrinth. Once they came across a room with a single casket in its center, they were beginning to think there was more to this place than they originally anticipated.

"I'm starting to think we've entered a catacomb," Ignis deduced, but he sounded wary. Where there were coffins, there were usually dead bodies, and where there were dead bodies, there was sometimes necromancy in the works. Gladio hated necromancy. He had seen enough of the blasphemy in the trials of Gilgamesh. All those lost souls that were tried just the same, only to meet their ultimate ends in the tombs.

"Hey, what is it, girl?" Prompto asked Rubia, who was pawing at the stone coffin - as if she wanted it opened. "Um, Ignis. Should we open it?"

"The grave has already been disturbed. The stone slab is just a sliver off. Do you see?" Ignis reached out with a gloved hand to push the lid. As more of the hollow space was revealed, it appeared empty. As a matter of fact, there wasn't even a visible bottom to the casket.

That was even more unsettling than finding a skeleton, Gladiolus figured. "It looks like a secret passage," he said. "Should we go in?" Although, the vulpine pet was already sprinting into the dark hole.

"We best go after her. Nyxia could be in danger, for all we know."

 _Good riddance,_ Gladiolus bitterly thought, watching as Ignis conjured a ball of blue, glowing energy. He dropped it into the chasm to see how far the descent was. Soon, the orb seemed to stop shrinking, even stop moving all together as it hit the bottom.

"That's it. It should be a safe drop down," Ignis stated.

"Let's goooooo!" Prompto eagerly yelled as he jumped in. The farther he fell, the tinier his voice echoed. Then, there was a small splash of water, then a few seconds of silence, as if the other two were waiting for a sign. Before they could follow, Prompto called from down below. "Um, guys? It looks like a dead end. I don't even see Rubia."

Gladiolus was the second to drop into the lower floor, and indeed, it looked like they were in a square room with no way out. Just water around their ankles. "Strange," he muttered, looking around. "There's gotta be something we're missing." Last came Ignis, who staggered slightly as his feet caught the wet ground; it took Gladio to seize his arm so he didn't completely lose balance. Prompto started feeling up on a wall, and meanwhile, Ignis was searching for some sort of switch.

Gladio, for one, wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to be looking for. He just hated the feeling of water in his boots. The sooner they got out of this hole in the ground, the better.

"Wait. Did you hear that?" Ignis asked, holding up his hand.

"No. What?" Gladio answered, having only heard...nothing, really.

"Rubia. I heard her from over there." Years ago in Altissia, Ignis had been blinded in battle, and so his hearing had dramatically increased. Thanks to Nyxia, he regained his sight, but luckily, still kept his keen ears. It wasn't uncommon that he would hear things no one else could. He approached another wall, and though it looked just like the others, his hands reached out to touch the stone bricks, but his hands didn't even touch the surface. They actually went right through!

"Whoever built this underground passage was trying to conceal something. I wonder if Nyxia found something of interest." Very carefully, Ignis stepped through and disappeared behind the false wall. Prompto looked over to Gladio, his expression suggesting he could see his friend was distracted.

"You alright there, big guy?"

"Peachy," Gladio said simply, though he knew Prompto wasn't convinced. Without further discussion, they followed Ignis through the barrier with no further words, trailing down the long hallway before them. Just like the rest of the sanctum, they had very little light to guide the way. Eventually, they all came to a stop, Ignis starting the chain. Rubia was perched further ahead, and just in front of her lied an emotionless figure of a woman. She was covered in blood.

"Nyxia?" Ignis called to her, but as the three of them approached, she didn't seem to respond. "Nyxia, are you alright?" He leaned down beside her, brushing her raven-black hair from her face. Her eyes were closed, but Ignis didn't seem to panic. "She's breathing. She just appears to be unconscious."

"Whose blood is that?" Prompto stammered.

Gladiolus looked further ahead, a shadowy hump on the ground catching his eye. Whatever it was, it met its end at her hands. "Doesn't look like it's hers. Look at that." The other two followed his gaze further ahead, and though it was only a couple of yards away, the darkness still forced them to squint to focus.

"Is that a daemon?" Prompto asked. Ignis walked forwards, his boot catching onto a weapon on the ground that he shortly after picked up.

"A Reaper, to be exact. The blood on this scythe is fresh, too."

"Is it hers? She doesn't look like she's actually hurt."

"It's not daemon blood. If she had any wounds, it's likely Rubia might have already healed them." Ignis rose to his feet, looking over to Gladiolus. "We need to carry her out of here in case daemon reinforcements come. Could you please?"

At this, Gladiolus repined.

"Hmph. Fine."


	2. Rescue Mission

Ignis knew Gladio had a disliking towards Nyxia, but as he was the most able of them to import her out of the massive cathedral, it had to be done. He couldn't understand why he was so bitter; he was usually so charismatic to most, but Ignis never bothered to ask. He expected Gladiolus would have some sort of half-baked excuse that would prevent the truth from coming out, and Ignis hated not knowing the truth.

"I don't mean to burden you. I hope you understand," he prodded delicately at the subject, paying little mind as Prompto used his pistol to draw out a grappling hook that would take them back to the higher floor.

"It's not a burden," Gladio snapped back - almost too quickly, Ignis observed. "I just didn't want to get daemon blood all over the leather."

Ignis dismissed the subject. When the shield was up, it was strong (though to be fair, the shield was never truly lowered). There was nothing more to discuss, and so they made their way through the labyrinth that was the forgotten sanctuary. Prompto resumed his _oohs_ and _ahs_ at the gothic architecture, even if a lot of it was dilapidated and blanketed in dust.

There were far too many stairs for his liking, but his inner griping was halted as he saw a room on his left that he was surprised he hadn't spotted on the way down. Was that a bookshelf he spotted through the archway? "If you don't mind, I think I'd like to take a small detour." Ignis wandered from the group, though the other two merely stopped to see what had caught his attention. A lot of the wooden shelves were old and broken. It was a shame to see the books left to this sad home, but there was no way he could take them all with him. He browsed one particular title - one that described a very interesting history about these halls, and how the religious affiliations that once resided here had been either killed or chased out during The Starscourge.

It was tragic to realize that in that horrific time, not even a holy place was safe from daemons.

Soon, they were back at the entrance, and Ignis was nearly blinded by the brightness of the morning sun. He noticed that during the entire journey to the surface, Rubia had been occasionally chiming in with a cry to Gladio's lethargic cargo. Not even Prompto could distract her from her obvious concern.

From a distance, he could hear water trickling through rocks. It was coming from the back side of the old, abandoned temple. "There's a river around the back. We might want to get her washed off before we continue."

Then, there was a tiny gasp coming from Gladio's direction. Was that Nyxia?

"About damn time," Gladio's rough voice groused as he walked around the side of the building. Meanwhile, Prompto's camera was snapping away; he was obviously taking advantage of the sunlight being provided. Ignis followed Gladio around the side of the dilapidated building, primarily to ensure that he didn't recklessly toss her to the ground the moment she stirred. Meanwhile, he kept an eye on Prompto, making sure he didn't wander off too far. Sometimes, he tended to be a tad too eager about his hobby that he meandered into trouble.

Ignis realized he was starting to sound like a babysitter.

Someone had to keep the others in check.

"How do you know this!?" Gladio's demanding voice stirred Ignis's attention back to him. Nyxia was lying beside the river rocks, sharing a heated conversation with the brawny man. Again.

"The Reaper told me," Nyxia mumbled just loudly enough for Ignis to catch on. He was hurrying to them now before things escalated.

"It's lying, Nyxia. It's all shit." Gladio was standing up now, despite that the girl was clearly uncomfortable as she sat there on the ground.

"Enough!" Ignis shouted over him. He couldn't comprehend how one of the closest friends he had (he could safely call Gladio a brother to him, just about) could be so callous to a lady. This wasn't like him. "Nyxia, what did the daemon tell you?"

"Iris... She's in trouble," Nyxia replied, her voice shaking. Whatever happened in that chamber down below, it must have caused some extreme distress. "Gladio, you know something isn't right. Please, believe me." Gladio's only response was an angry growl, but he got up and stormed off. As he did, Ignis could hear him punching buttons on his phone. He could only assume he was calling his sibling. Iris hadn't exactly been answering her brother's calls for the past couple of days, but none of them had really thought twice about it. Not until now.

"Any indication where she might be?" Ignis drew out a cloth from his pocket and crouched down beside her, dampening it in the stream before he would cleanse her bloodied arms.

"Necromancers took her to The Cryotower. Ignis, it's not even her they want. They're trying to lure Gladio into a trap. To separate us, to make us vulnerable... He can't go alone."

"I understand, Nyxia. Can you stand?" He offered a gloved hand to help her to her feet.

"Yes." She paused, looking down at the rushing river beside her. "Thank you. I can finish cleaning up. If you can just delay him as much as possible..."

"Of course." Ignis sacrificed his handkerchief to her, and he followed the sound of Gladio's angry pacing back towards the car. His heavy boots pounding the ground sounded like an Iron Giant. "If you're planning on going after her, you're not going alone."

"No offense, Ignis, but yes, I am," Gladio snapped. "She is not going to slow me down anymore. I need to make sure Iris will be alright."

"Nyxia is our responsibility, Gladio. You forget that the King Cingarus - the one that we are sworn to - has sworn us to her. Otherwise, our world is lost to the Shadows."

"Every time we turn around, there's always something with her. She's like a child. I'm not going to be held responsible for her over my own sister!"

"Take a step down, Gladio!" Ignis demanded. "Prompto and I will handle Nyxia, but I will not allow you to take this task in solitude. Maybe you don't care about Nyxia, but she informed me that the necromancers are using Iris as bait to pick you off. At least she looks out for you, despite how spiteful you tend to be to her."

For a moment, Gladio remained silent, but Ignis could tell he had talked some sense into him. "Fine. But as soon as she's done, we're going."


	3. Falsum Mortem

Even while she was out cold, the voices had been so loud and lively. It was like not being able to wake up from a terrible nightmare - trapped in some unknown abyss that the Reaper had made her personal hell. There were no images, nothing but demonic whispers in the dark. Now that they were finally out of the creaky, corrupted sanctuary, she was able to regain some sense of sanity again.

Even with the morning light that shrouded them, Nyxia couldn't say she felt any better about the situation. While Ignis and Prompto had been very patient with her, the same could not be said about Gladio. That much was obvious. When the four of them met before her father's throne, she could tell right away that he was a hot-headed sort. All had been fine at the start, but once he realized what he was in for, his true colors began to show.

She could handle his temper, though. She may have been a princess, but being constantly surrounded by so much testosterone sometimes seemed to diminish her sense of femininity. She was tougher than she looked.

Suffice it to say, he wasn't a very friendly guy when he was impatient.

It wasn't her choice to pursue this task with the others. If she had it her way, she would have gone it alone. However, she probably would have been dead by now. Even Rubia wouldn't have been able to get her out of some of the tighter situations. Unlike Prompto, she didn't have a grappling hook to get them out of that underground passage, and just because she was a sorceress, didn't necessarily mean she knew how to fly.

Sitting in the shotgun seat of the Stella GT, she had been quiet during the entire ride so far. Ignis drove, as he sometimes did when Nyxia felt unable to, and Prompto and Gladio sat in the back.

"So, where is this tower?" Prompto asked, breaking the silence for the first time since they got in the car. He didn't seem to mind the fact that their venture into the cathedral only left them going in circles. At least he got his fair share of photo ops.

"The Cryotower is in the northern region of the Serpentine Marshes. It used to be a watchtower defending against the very thing that rules it now."

"Necromancers, right?" Prompto said. "Does that mean we're going to have to hack at nothing but bones again?"

"We need to be careful. They have leverage over us. A strategy may require more than just taking down the enemy."

"If so, I want every last one of them deader than they already are," Gladio said, the fury on his voice unmistakable. It made Nyxia all the more unsettled.

"Watch your temper, Gladio." Ignis warned. "That very well could be your sister's undoing."

The gem would have to wait. They had time. It would be another few years before the energy inside of it would expand to the point of it exploding, but the point of this mission was to get it before it unleashed eternal darkness. The gem was created by the Necromancer Lord, who they only knew as Blackwell. A lot of dark magic went into creating it, and according to gossip in her home city of Curia, a group of do-gooders had stolen the gem to hide it from its maker. At the time, they didn't know how to destroy the item, and so could do nothing more.

It was only quite recently that the King of Curia had found a solution, and it was decided that his daughter was the key to destroying the gem. On Cingarus's side, the family had a long bloodline of exceptionally strong magic beneath its belt, though he had ultimately confessed he was too old to perform the ritual that was necessary. And so, he sent his next of kin off with the most able group of men he could find. Before King Regis's passing, Cingarus had managed to make a friend out of him, as well as become familiar with his Guards' skilled practices. Now, he borrowed them, and he trusted them with his daughter's life. It hadn't been easy, parting with her family, but if the fate of the world depended on it, then what could be done?

Naturally, once the word got out that they were looking for the Necromancer's Jewel, Nyxia and the group were also being sought out. They knew it wouldn't have taken long.

Silence reigned the car ride for another ten minutes until Prompto spoke up again. Obviously, he couldn't stand the awkwardness any more than Nyxia could. "Are we there yet?"

"Not until sundown," Ignis said simply.

"We should probably stop somewhere on the way to grab a bite to eat." It was the first thing Nyxia said, hoping her voice and the hum of the engine drowned out her rumbling tummy. She was too proud until now to admit that she had been hungry since they left the once-haven.

"I could use something to sate the hunger, myself." Ignis admitted. Nyxia instantly felt a little better about speaking up.

"We can take it to-go," stirred Gladio's dry voice behind Nyxia. "We can't waste any time."

"Gladio, it's you they're waiting for. Chill out." She glanced at the side view mirror, and the angry look on his face that she spotted made her look way anxiously. After three weeks on this task, she still hadn't entirely mustered up the gall to stand up to him.

The one thing she knew wouldn't kill her, and yet he somehow scared her most of all.

Their layover was at Cape Bayleaf, a tourist spot west of southern Cleigne that Nyxia had never been to before. Sadly, they didn't have time to explore it right now. Hopefully one day, she would be able to find an opportunity to appreciate more. They stopped at the first, eating spot they saw, which was called The Tea Tree. It was obvious that tea was a big commodity here, but they had plenty of food items to choose from, as well. They ordered their food at the bar, and as they waited, the man behind the counter inquired to Gladio.

"Hey there, do you mind if I ask how you got that nasty scar on your chest?"

This wasn't the first time someone had asked about it (it wasn't as if Gladio made any attempt to conceal it). Gladio had been asked enough to be tired of telling the story. Even Prompto had been known to fill in the blanks for him.

"You should have seen the other guy," Gladio said.

"That's him being humble. He kicked some serious ass in the Tempering Grounds."

Only one more reason for Nyxia to feel intimidated by Gladio. While she didn't know a whole lot about the trials (Prompto briefed her in on it when she inquired about the scars, herself), she knew that almost anyone who attempted them died by doing so. If he had been able to defeat Gilgamesh, then she felt sorry for anyone who found themselves at the pointy end of his sword.

Once they got their food in to-go boxes, the four of them were out the door. Nyxia had gotten a simple, spaghetti dish, though the balls of meat in it would be saved for Rubia. She loved human food.

Good food and music from the radio lightened the mood for the rest of the drive. They still had a good ways to go, though Nyxia had spent a lot of her time looking through Prompto's captures on his camera. As one who appreciated photography (she entertained trying it out herself), she had been curious about the newest model that he purchased before documenting their journey. He was more than happy to let her borrow it. Even now, although the rain was beginning to start, it got closer to sunset, complimenting the silhouette of the tower way off in the distance. Perfect photo-op.

"Hold on, don't put the top up yet," she insisted to Ignis, lifting herself up from the black-leather seat to make sure she didn't get the windshield in the shot. A few clicks, and she deemed herself satisfied. She sat back down, tucking her long hair back as the top would slide into place above their heads.

"Of course it's gotta rain now," Prompto, who had been sing-songing to the current track, managed to blend his own, custom words into the lyrics, albeit quite poorly. He huffed as he nibbled on his corn bread, which was undoubtedly cold by now. Rubia, who sat on the top of the center console between Ignis and Nyxia, shook the small bit of precipitation from her head. "Hey, Xia, did you see that one with Rubia sitting on the rock back at the cathedral?"

Having to refresh her memory, Nyxia pressed a button a few times to take her back to the mentioned pose. She recalled it, but it wasn't until it popped up on the little screen that she was able to murmur "Oh, yeah" to recall it. "Yeah, that turned out pretty good. See, Rubia? Your horn even has a little shine to it, the sun hit it just right."

 _'I thought it was exceptionally bright,'_ Rubia said to her.


	4. Crushed

The tower was massive, probably large enough that Leviathan could comfortably wrap herself around it. Prompto was inspired to shoot numerous pictures before they even got out of arm's reach of the car. There didn't appear to be anyone else, but chances were that they were all waiting inside. Once he was content with his pictures, Prompto readied his guns.

Getting Iris was the prime objective, though unharmed or not would be a little problematic. If picking off the quartet one by one was the necromancers' goal, then they might be unpredictable. Then again, they were most likely banking on Gladio coming here alone for her. What a surprise they were going to be in for.

Screw with one of the gang, then you'd better be ready for the rest!

Prompto followed as third in line once the group made their way in through the only accessible door. They were instantly met by a set of winding stairs. From there, the only way was up.

More stone. More walls. And a whole lot of cracks. There really wasn't much of interest here. It was such an old building, it was remarkable it was still standing. Then, at the top of the stairs, the area opened up into a large, entrance room. There were numerous archways leading to different rooms, but there was no certainty as to where to go next. Blowing his blond hair out of his face, Prompto didn't move right away. He was partially waiting for someone to come at them from out of the blue. There was no way they made it this far unnoticed.

"I can hear them further upstairs," Ignis said in a hushed voice, that Prompto almost missed it. He couldn't be sure if this made him feel any more comfortable or not. What was waiting for them up there?

"They know we're here," he then heard Nyxia say. "They're waiting." She conjured her staff, one of many that she kept for various uses. This one held a black and gold hilt, and at its head, a spiked half-star surrounding a crescent moon, painted in gold and red chrome. She always did have a cool collection of magic staves at her disposal. He assumed different ones were used for different elements - not just earth, air, fire, and water, but many other things.

"This way," she added, taking one of the apertures to another set of stairs that would send them further up. Prompto really hope that Iris was okay. However they approached this, it was going to have to be done so with care.

The next flight of stairs took them in an upward spiral, but Xia stopped short before the doorway, tucked against the wall to stay out of sight. The other three followed suit, thought it probably was pointless, if their company was already acknowledged. The witch wasn't the first to move, however. As Prompto should have anticipated, it was Gladio whose patience broke first. He bolted into the room. This one was occupied with a couple of hooded figures. Behind them was a restrained girl huddled up in the corner and against the wall.

"Iris," Gladio's concern showed strongly, but just as he took a step forward, one of the necromancers drew a long staff, pointing it towards his face. It spoke, but in a language that could not be deciphered, at least not by Prompto. He never did learn the Tongue of the Dead, as some called it.

"He says _trade_ ," Ignis stated. "I imagine he means you for her."

"Why?" Gladio demanded.

"He wants to lessen our numbers. We're weaker when we're singled out," Nyxia said.

"Idiots," Gladiolus hissed, his sword swinging into view. "You don't know who you're fucking around with." The necromancer hissed a few words angrily, and the other moved like a black mist towards Iris. It all happened so fast, and not even Prompto could keep up with how quickly Nyxia reacted. She ran for Iris, though as she did, the stone began to crumble beneath them both. The necromancer had already done its damage. The tower began to collapse, and a terrifying scream pierced the air.

Prompto began firing at the necromancers (more out of reflex than planning a solid approach), though not a single bullet landed. He was just shooting at black clouds.

"I got you, Iris!" He heard Nyxia's voice, and as he followed it, he saw that she was hanging tightly onto the other girl's wrist, being the only means keeping her from falling to her death. Iris was usually pretty tough, but this was the first time Prompto had ever seen this sort of horror on her face.

"Iris!" Gladio yelled, but as both of the necromancers swarmed around him, obviously intending to keep him separated from his sister, there was no way he could assist. Beneath Xia's crouched body, the floor was giving in, rock shattering bit by bit. Ignis was running for the pair, but one of the dark entities zipped before him to block his path, throwing him back into the wall with little effort.

Suddenly, Iris was yanked up with what seemed to be a fair bit of might. Just as she recovered, she hurried over to Prompto. A third shroud of gray rose in front of chasm of the broken wall, faced with the sorceress as she pulled herself up. "Get her out of here!" Nyxia hollered. Prompto grabbed Iris by the arm and hurried her back towards the stairs that they had taken. Bits and pieces of the tower were continuing to break apart, and it took a few, careful leaps for the two of them to descend. Prompto didn't bother to look back until they had reach the car, but there was no sign of his other companions coming. The prime objective was a complete success, but...

"Oh, no... Gladdy..."

"Wait right here. I'm going back in." Prompto speedily went back through the entrance, though as he came into the first room again, it was swarming with an innumerable army of necromancers. There was no way he was going to be able to get back up those stairs.

Thankfully, the other three were already coming down towards him, like clockwork. Nyxia was at the front of the line as they were being targeted by the ghostly attackers.

"All of you, get out!" Nyxia demanded. They all staggered as the tower shook violently beneath their heels. "Get Iris far away from here!"

"Nyxia, don't be-"

"There's only one way to stop them, Ignis, but I need you to get everyone else out. Now!"

Ignis didn't hesitate any longer as he validated the orders to the other two. "You heard. Let's move!"

Unsure of what Xia was setting up to do, Prompto looked over his shoulder as the three of them left her behind. Her staff swung left and right, beams of yellow light keeping the necromancers at bay long enough for the boys to flee the scene. They zipped around her like angry wasps, and they cut into her clothes and skin. Prompto couldn't stand to leave her behind...

Iris was right where he left her, though she seemed confused as to why Nyxia was not with them.

"Where is she?" she inquired in a panic, though before any of them could answer, a loud explosion emerged behind them. Rock and smoke erupted into every direction; even the vehicle had taken a few hits from the rubble.

They all took cover, shielding themselves either with the Stella or by turning their backs to the blast. After a few moments, the smoke cleared. Prompto coughed as he failed to keep out the air that was thick with dust. The necromancers were most definitely gone, but Nyxia couldn't simply vanish like the others did. The red Carbuncle bolted past the crew and towards the heap of rubble - all that was left of the tower. She looked frantic, as if she knew that her caretaker was hurt... Or maybe even worse.

 _Please, no... Not now..._

"Help me uncover her!" Prompto insisted, grabbing boulders and throwing them aside. Some were easier to lift than others. Ignis was close behind, and finally, Gladio joined on the fray. Then, after moving probably a dozen, large rocks, he heard Rubia's yelp of alarm. "Over here!" He pulled off a few more rocks where Nyxia's companion had indicated, finally spotting a lock of black hair sprayed across the debris. "Xia, no!" More and more stones were removed, but the one that anchored her legs was too large for Prompto to lift. "Gladio, help!" He was quick to respond, though Nyxia didn't give any physical or verbal response.

Rubia perched herself on her chest, the top of her obsidian horn just barely touching Nyxia's chin. There was a soft glow, but the only response that they got from the witch was a small grunt. She would be okay, but it was all they could do for now. Prompto felt a small bit of relief, but his worry was still strong. How much of a toll had she taken for making such a sacrifice? As Gladio checked on his sister, Prompto and Ignis partnered up to get Nyxia sat down in the passenger's seat of the beaten Stella. He adjusted it in hopes to keep her somewhat comfortable. It probably made no difference, as she seemed unresponsive. As he was smaller, he was fine with sitting behind the stretched out car seat.

He wasn't fine seeing the burgundy exterior of the car so torn up, though. It was almost as nice as the Regalia.

Three weeks wasn't very long, he understood that, but it had been enough time for him to really develop a liking towards her. Nyxia, not the car. She was incredibly beautiful, and perhaps it was the black hair that went for miles that he found most attractive. No, it was definitely the green eyes. They were like fresh grass - _no, that was terrible. Like emeralds. Yeah._

But she was also a very sweet person to be around. She typically wasn't very ferocious in battle, which was why it had been a big surprise to him that Nyxia had sacrificed herself the way she had for Iris. He remembered the first day they set out from Curia, she literally jumped out of the car - while it was going at fifty miles per hour - to help a baby owl that had fallen out of its nest. He realized then that not only was she an animal lover like him, but that they were meant to be.

Then, he grew up a little and realized that wasn't happening. Although, he could still admire her.


	5. Strain in the Muscle

It took another two hours to find a hotel that they felt safe in. They made their entry through the doors, as at this point, it was pouring down rain to the point that they couldn't even see beyond the road. Two separate rooms were booked at the front desk - naturally, one for the boys and one for the girls. Both parties were at least placed on the same floor, in any case that help was needed. Iris was perfectly accepting to the responsibility of taking care of Nyxia while she was recovering. She also got to mother and smother Rubia in the meantime, which always made her happy.

Gladio was just relieved that his sister was safe now. That was all that mattered. On the other hand, he was conflicted with the fact that Nyxia had been the one to save her. She meant to do good. She always did. She was just...difficult to handle. He knew that despite his cool character in the majority of times, he tended to be hot-headed. He struck his own nerve when he was reminded of how he had spoken to Noctis those many years ago, treating him like a whining child when he had lost Lunafreya and his father in such a short amount of time. Back then, Gladio hadn't really considered emotions to be so delicate.

Even now, he still wasn't perfect.

"You alright, Gladio?" Prompto asked, who was nibbling on his leftovers from their pit stop.

"Yeah. Of course."

"I bet you feel kind of crappy about treating Nyxia like you did."

Gladio looked up, his eyes narrowed. The badgering only annoyed him further, but he didn't want to admit out loud that maybe Prompto wasn't entirely wrong. "Do you want to be my punching bag?" Prompto only grinned, handing him a small, paper plate of his own food. Gladiolus had finished up his meal while they were on the road, so by now, he was most definitely famished.

"What? You mad, bro?" He said with a grin. The fact that Prompto was unfazed by daunting demeanor kept him from boiling over. Calmed down by his friend's awful sense of humor, he accepted the offer and chowed down. He _was_ right, to a certain degree. He would never admit to feeling guilty, and he certainly was not about to apologize.

"We still need answers on the gem's location," Ignis said, sitting in a chair by the window. "We have very little lead, aside from what our sources in Curis have given us."

"Well, we can cross out the cathedral." Gladiolus threw up his feet onto the bed that he was sitting on, not caring to kick off his shoes yet. All they had to go on was some place dark and under the ground. While a lot of places were already ruled out without making the trip, it still left a lot of possibilities. "What's next on the map, Specs?"

"The Dew Peaks are thirty minutes from here. I've studied in texts that it does carry mysterious artifacts beneath the mountains."

"Isn't that supposed to be haunted?" Prompto's response sounded uneasy, and to be frank, Gladio could measure up to that displeasure. He had about enough of undead things - especially after today.

"Indeed, there are rumors about supernatural entities within."

It was late, though none of them seemed overly eager about telling ghost stories. Even after the other two went to bed, he stayed up. He was usually one whose motor ran on little sleep anyway. The gym on the ground floor was open all day, every day. He made the decision to pay it a visit. Despite the long day, he held a lot of bottled energy and frustration that needed coaxing, and the best way to do that was a push-it-to-the-limit workout. Pleased to see he would have the gym to himself, he stretched before he would begin a long string of push-ups. He counted to fifty, though through his musings, he might have been off by a couple of digits.

He just couldn't get over the fact that he could have lost his sister today.

He lifted his feet up from the ground, directing a lot of focus to balance before he would resume with the lessened support. For Gladio, however, planches were nothing. When he was the King's Shield, he lived off of three things - food, sleep, and exercise (and occasionally basking in the outdoors). After a couple of hours of sampling just about all of the equipment in the room quiet, Gladiolus finally felt mental exhaustion take over. With his endurance, a tired body was almost unheard of, but he felt he could sleep well, at long last.

He went into the men's shower room to clean himself off, taking a few moments to just enjoy the cool water on his sweaty build. He should have brought down a change of clothes, but he supposed he could get away with what he had just long enough to get back up to the room.

He pressed his hands onto the ceramic wall in front of him, eyes closed as the soothing water beat down on his tattooed torso. Even the scar on his chest didn't look as bad as it had in the past. It would remain there forever, as would the two around this left eye that seemed to shape a cross. His imperfections didn't bother him in the slightest, though. After all, scars showed the strength of coming out of a battle alive.

Or something like that.

Once he was dried off and dressed, he returned to the elevator and took it back up to the third floor. He sneaked back inside, careful so as not to wake Ignis or Prompto. He had a couple of things on his phone he wanted to look into, primarily to catch up on King's Knight before he would crash. As he did, he plugged in his earphones and selected some good, hard music to keep him company.


	6. A Step In The Right Direction

The sun rose, and even for a punctual individual, all Ignis wanted to do was sleep in. He took the second bed, which was amazingly much more plush than he anticipated. Perhaps that was why he had slept so well. The softer the mattress, the more comfortable he was. He didn't even want to get up to get breakfast.

It was a slight struggle, but he stretched before quietly getting out of the bed. Even still, he was the first to rise, as was usual. Gladio was out like a light on the other bed, his ear buds still dug into his ears, but there wasn't any music playing. It seemed the battery on his phone had died out.

Prompto was sleeping soundly on the couch, and so Ignis was cautious as he passed him to make for the door. It was a slight surprise to see Iris coming down the hallway as he came out from the room. What could possibly be wrong now?

"Ignis," she panted. "It might have been just gibberish, but she mumbled something about The Burrows. That the gem was eaten or something." Ignis had to admit, he was thankful that this had narrowed things down immensely. The Burrows were further out of the way, but he knew precisely where the nest of spiders was located. "She still looks totally out of it though."

"I'm glad you told me, Iris. I'll let the others know immediately."

"Can I come?" Iris asked. Somehow, he suspected that she might ask that.

"Well, while I know it isn't Gladio's decision to make, I feel he might not be pleased if you put yourself in harm's way again." At this, Iris just giggled at him.

"I know that. I just wanted to come with you to the room, that's all. I want to make sure everyone is alright. I tried to call Gladdy, but it went straight to voicemail."

Ignis hid his relief well and smiled. "Of course. I don't doubt we're all a little famished. You can help me get them out of bed, as well."

First, they went downstairs to the lobby to order food to take up to them. He ordered himself a couple of small, breakfast pies. The cafe called them _breakfast bowls_ , but they certainly were smaller than what Ignis would call a bowl. Still, the sound of cheesy, scrambled eggs with meat and diced peppers sounded right up his alley this morning. He had forgotten to order something for Nyxia, though she was probably still too languid to eat anyway. The smell of the food, partnered with Iris's cheery attitude, instantly had both Prompto and Gladio energized. Good. They got to hear the good news first.

Although for Prompto, who was easily disgusted by all things insectile, it was likely only partial, good news.

"How long can we expect Nyxia to be out of it?" Gladio asked, though Ignis couldn't exactly tell if he was asking out of impatience or curiosity.

"That still remains uncertain, I'm sad to say. Even if she comes to full consciousness, she still has a ways to go in recovery." Ignis chose his next words carefully, though he didn't like what he had to say. "Given yesterday's mishap, I'm not sure that it's a good idea to bring her with us this time."

"I can agree with that." Gladio crossed his arms, though his approval did not come as a surprise. Ignis wouldn't have been surprised if he was counting on this. It certainly wasn't a matter of keeping Nyxia out of the way, of course. It was merely a matter of keeping her safe.

"Rubia and I can watch over her for a while. However long you guys need." Iris smiled, tossing her trash away. "I learned a lot of medical skills during the Starscourge; I could _almost_ be a nurse!"

"I have my every fiber of faith in you, Iris." Still, Ignis felt a small bit of regret in leaving Nyxia behind.

Nevermind it. There was no point in risking her life when it was perfectly clear that she was incapable of taking on this mission. At least for now.

"We leave in an hour. The least we can do is scope out the place."

Everyone took turns showering through that span of time. Ignis was the last, leaving him with the cold water, but there were more important things on his mind than a comfortable rinse. Collecting the Necromancer's Jewel was only part of the mission. It still had to be brought to the King of Curia, and on top of that, they still needed to find out how and when they would be able to eliminate the artifact. There was still the matter of finding the right place, the right time, and any other necessary circumstances to see it destroyed.

Once everyone was cleaned and dressed, they were on the road again. Their photography enthusiast appeared content to have the passenger's seat again. Ignis didn't entirely notice it at first, but he was speeding above the posted limit along the winding road. It wasn't until Prompto had mentioned it that he was conscious about his display of determination to get there as soon as possible.

The entrance of the spider cave resided well beyond the road - almost three-quarters of a mile off. Only with the map were they able to find it, and even then, it took a couple of errors before they got it right. It was literally just a hole in the ground, and it had been partially veiled by grass to conceal the entrance. Once again, their LED brooches illuminated the way as they went inside. The smaller spiders cowered from the lights, but even still, Prompto's sounds of disgust came frequently.

Even as a couple of spiderlings were crushed beneath his boot, Ignis couldn't restrain himself from cringing a bit. It wasn't a very pleasant sound.

There was no telling how large this place was, and even more, there was no telling how long it would take for them to find what they were looking for. According to Iris, the unconscious sorceress had mentioned something about the gem being in the beast of the mother. Based off of this, Ignis was convinced he had a pretty firm idea as to what that entailed...


	7. Not Created Nor Destroyed

The soft sound of the door shutting finally stirred Nyxia out of what felt like had to be an eternal slumber. She was in a room foreign to her, but even at first glance, it was clearly a hotel room. Since she and the boys lived on the road, staying at hotels and rentable campers was a regular thing. Just like many other places they booked, this was very simple with its neutral walls and two, queen-sized beds. The sheets had a hideous, floral pattern on it, but at least the bed itself was comfortable.

The pillow felt extremely nice, too. She could just fall right back asleep, at least until the others came back...

Speaking of, where were the others? Even Rubia wasn't here, and she usually would sleep at her feet. She climbed out of bed, her entire body sore with every step she took. She felt as though she had been squashed like a bug underneath a mountain of rocks.

Then again, that was pretty much what happened, huh?

What she needed was a nice, hot shower to loosen her muscles. Her body was sweaty from sleeping under the covers, but otherwise, as she wasn't coated in dirt and blood, it looked like someone had at least bathed her once since the fall of The Cryotower.

While she was scrubbing her hair in conditioner, she heard the door to the hotel room open and shut again. They must have come back.

Soon, she was cleaned up; her hair was dried to the best of her capability, and she put on a fresh change of clothes. Nyxia favored mostly black in her attire - though red sometimes did get sneaked in there at times. The leather shorts were a little difficult to pull on with damp legs, but with a few shifts of her hips, she managed. She was pulling her second arm through the sleeve of her crop top before she would turn the doorknob.

She came out into the room, and to her surprise, Iris was standing by the writing desk, pulling out some food from a paper bag. It smelled delicious, even though Nyxia couldn't exactly figure out what it was. Iris looked absolutely ecstatic, and so did Rubia, for that matter. She was already sprinting away from Iris's feet and across the room.

"You're awake! Oh, the others will be so happy to hear you're up. We were really starting to worry."

"How long was I out for?"

Rubia chimed in, _'You've been asleep for three days, Nyxia.'_

For a moment, she was silent. Once again, she slowed everyone down. What everyone must think of her now. "Nyxia, you saved my life. Thank you so, so much." Iris suddenly came up to her, throwing her arms around her in a tight hug.

"You're welcome, Iris." Although it was heartfelt, she was worried about the others, though the girl had already confirmed to her that they were alive. "Where did they run off to?"

"Well, they went to The Burrows. In fact, about an hour ago, Gladdy sent me a text that they got the gem."

Nyxia paused, partially surprised, but equally confused. "They got the gem?" she repeated. But how did they manage that so soon?

"They wouldn't have been able to find it without you. You were mumbling kind of in riddles while you were asleep, but it was like you knew exactly where it was." Somehow, Nyxia didn't remember any of this. She couldn't even recall dreaming, really. That wasn't entirely surprising, though. The Divinities led her where she needed, but perhaps since she was unable to follow, she instead transferred the message to those who could. "Here, eat this," Iris said, handing her a sealed bowl of flavored noodles. "You need to get your strength back. I'm going to send Prompto a message to let them know you're awake."

"Funny timing," Nyxia said thoughtfully as she sat down with the food. "I wonder if my coma had something to do with that gem."

"Who knows? Oh! Here's what it looks like." Iris showed her an image on the phone that had been sent by Prompto. It was a shuriken, but in its center was a small, black jewel. That was definitely it alright. No doubt. Getting their hands on it was one thing. Now it had to be brought back to her father.

After she got some food in her stomach (though it didn't taste nearly as good as it smelled), she and Rubia went outside to get some fresh air. It was a nice change from being cooped up in a hotel room for as long as she was. They walked side-by-side near the outdoor pool, and though the air was humid, it still felt genuinely nice. _'What happened back at the tower?'_ Rubia asked.

The question was odd to Nyxia, but she tried to reflect on it, herself. "Not much to talk about. I saved Iris from falling out of the window, and when they all got out, I did the only thing I could think to do to ward off the necromancers. That blast of energy took everything out of me."

 _'I know that.'_ The Carbuncle sat down at the poolside, tail waving elegantly behind her like a single flame. _'I mean, what was going on in your head when you put yourself in that situation? That isn't like you.'_

Rubia was right. It was very unlike her. Nyxia didn't fully understand it, herself. Had she died, there would be no foreseeable future of the gem's destruction. She had made a foolish move in the act of trying to be a hero. The girl sat down beside her companion, and she took off her boots and socks before she would dip her feet into the cool water. "I just hate feeling like a burden," she said quietly. "I thought I was doing something useful for a change."

 _'Nyxia,'_ the small beast turned her face to the sorceress, and even in her face, disappointment could be recognized. _'Don't let Gladiolus's words get to you. You don't have to prove anything to him.'  
_

For a few moments, she was quiet, and she brought her hair in front of her shoulder in a one, long lock to begin braiding it. That really was what it was all about, wasn't it? She had been trying to redeem herself in Gladio's eyes in hopes to not look like such a pathetic person. She hated the feeling of disappointing someone, even in cases where it didn't matter. It was just so much worse to be despised by someone who she was stuck with for long periods of time.

"I know," she eventually spoke up. "I guess I can't please everyone."


	8. Crisis Averted

The breeze felt nice when they rode down the long stretch of road, especially with the top down - but there was something ultra satisfying in the possessing of the gem. Strange how it took the form of a star blade, but it was safe with them now.

Prompto, for one, was so glad to be out of those Burrows. The horrors they found in that place - never mind the dead bodies they found that had been eaten and were nothing but bones. It was the eight legged creeps that spat them back out that were things his nightmares were made of. Some of them were three times his size, and the 'mother' was three times the size of _those_ things!

His phone buzzed, and he was fairly certain it was a text from Iris before he even confirmed it with a glance.

 _Just want to let you know that Nyxia is finally awake. We will see you guys soon!_

"She lives!" Prompto whooped, as it was hard to not display his alleviation. He was beginning to lose hope after the second day of Nyxia's unresponsiveness. He heard Ignis sigh in relief, even saw him smile a little.

"Thank The Six. We cannot seal the gem without her."

Gladiolus was awfully quiet in the back seat, and Prompto couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was asleep, or if he even heard the announcement. Prompto knew just as well as the rest that Big Guy wasn't overly fond of the sorceress. Couldn't things be different, though? After all, Nyxia did save his sister's life, but he still seemed sour about something.

"I think we should all go out for a nice meal to celebrate," Prompto said, hoping at least Ignis would be on board with the suggestion.

"Agreed," Ignis said. "In fact, The Villa is an hour's drive in the direction of the train station. We still have to take Iris there in order for her to return to Caem. I'm sure they can provide us with a well-deserved meal." When the hotel was in view, Prompto could hear his stomach growling and had to apologize for the obnoxious sound. "Apology accepted. Once we all get freshened up, we will make amends to fix that."

"A luxury meal sounds nice," Gladio finally spoke up. "I've been craving a big, juicy steak." It wasn't very often Prompto was this pumped for a meal - most of their food had consisted of something on the road, or even something Ignis whipped up when they were camping out of the way of civilization. Whatever they helped themselves to over these past, four weeks, it was simple. This would be a nice change of pace.

They got cleaned up in their room first, though while Prompto was the first to get his shower, he was the first to visit the girls while he waited for Ignis and Gladio. Iris was flipping through channels on the radio, but stopped on a jazzy tune to answer the door.

"You're back!" she chimed.

"That's right. Looks like the team is finally back together." Prompto saw Nyxia grooming the crimson Carbuncle on the bed. She was quick to get up and greet him with a big hug.

Oh, yeah. That felt nice.

"You guys did awesome," she said brightly. "But how dare you have all the fun!"

"You only missed out on lots and lots of spiders," he returned, nudging her with his knuckles. "I'll make sure to show you some pictures right before you eat dinner."

"I haven't eaten in days. Believe me, I could still eat."

"Good. You're in for a treat, then. Once the other two are done showering, we'll be heading back towards Curia."

"Have you already told the king the good news?" she asked. Prompto shook his head.

"No, but we probably should. I'll ask Ignis about that."

After about another hour and a half, all five of them were on the home stretch. Ignis made the call to King Cingarus to tell him the great news. Prompto and Ignis had a fair bit to talk about - Prompto, mostly. He couldn't not mention the crawling beasts that were threatening them underground.

"We found the gem exactly where you said it would be."

"Where I...said it would be?" she repeated in confusion.

"Oh, yeah. You were out like a light at the time."

"What Prompto is referring to is the Mother, who locals have called Araniella. The shuriken was in the 'belly of the beast', as you so distinctively put it." Ignis glanced at her briefly as he drove. "Without your navigation, we would have been going in the wrong direction entirely."

Prompto looked up to see the sky was getting darker. "Iggy, is it going to rain?"

"Smells like it. We should probably put the top up."

He took out his camera for a couple more shots before he looked beside him at Gladio, who was engulfed in one of Ignis's recipe books. Prompto happened to spot a picture of a nice rack of ribs soaked in a delicious-looking sauce.

"That looks delicious!" He could drool.

"Tarrasque ribs," Gladio answered. "Never had it myself, but back when we were in Shalian Hills, I was talking to a couple of guys at the shop. They said they had hunted one down just to sell the meat. Said it was very valuable and rare, but very tender."

"It looks delicious. If we come across a tarrasque, we're taking that thing down!"

By the end of dinner, Prompto had forgotten all about his want to try tarrasque meat. Instead, all he was thinking about was how he'd eaten way too much spicy shrimp. Even the ride to the train station had been a bit bumpy - a couple of times, he was afraid he might be sick. They dropped Iris off as agreed, and returned to the outpost.

Prompto felt bad about Nyxia staying in her room by herself, but they had already booked for another night, so there was no point wasting the money, as they had already been told the rooms were non-refundable. Besides, she still looked exhausted (even though she had been comatose for nearly thirty-six hours), and she wasn't completely alone as long as she had Rubia.

He took the liberty of walking with her back to Room 320, at least to make sure that she made it there alright.

That, and he enjoyed her company.

"If you need anything, shoot me a text, okay?"

"Thanks, Prompto." Nyxia smiled. Once she disappeared into her room and the door closed behind her, he walked over to the window that was only a couple of yards away down the hall. It was dark outside, but he could see the street lights lined in a perfectly straight row, visible for what looked like forever. There was nothing else for several miles; the hotel itself was located in the middle of nowhere, almost, but it was all they needed to get them through one more night before returning to Curia.


	9. All Within My Hands

Gladio found it hard to get sleep this night. It was weird, considering he could easily sleep like a rock when he actually laid himself down. He had a lot to muse over since the incident at the tower, especially now that Nyxia had come back from the dead, so to speak. This was not the first time that he felt indebted to someone who had saved his sister's life. There was a familiar scenario many years ago with Noctis. Of course, at the time, he was just a prince - a young boy.

Damn. What was this pattern of him teaming up with spoiled royalty? Was this his destiny for the rest of his long life?

Problem was, he felt partially sick about it because Nyxia had been the one who was there for Iris, not him. Had she not been there, Iris might be in a worse situation, maybe even dead. His blood boiled just at the thought of it. He couldn't decide if he was angry at himself or the witch. He told himself that she shouldn't be the subject of his fury, but it was just...complicated.

Maybe he would feel better about it if he just fucking thanked her for it. Get it over and done with, get all the awkwardness out of the way. Maybe it was time to let bygones be bygones. He had a tendency to be a jerk at times, and he wasn't as if he was unaware of it.

The other two were sound asleep, so it was a good time for him to slink out and down the hall. The hotel was as silent as a tomb. Gladio almost feared the other visitors might hear him stomping down the hall, even while he made every attempt to step quietly. Room 320 was only a couple of turns and a hall away. He gave a few knocks on the door, then waited.

A small window of time past, maybe ten seconds or so. There was no response, and he supposed she was either asleep or absent from the room. Either way, he came at a bad time. This was ridiculous. He began to walk off, but just as his back turned to the door, he heard it softly creak open.

"Gladio?"

Nyxia's sleepy face peeked through the crack of the entry. She _had_ been sleeping. Really, how much more rest did this woman need?

"Didn't mean to wake you up. I figured after all of the sleeping you did while we were away, you would be wide awake."

"No, it's fine. It's probably not healthy for me to sleep so much anyway." She stood silently for a moment, and at first, even Gladio couldn't find any words. What did he come here for again? "Is everything alright?"

"Well, I..." Gladio huffed slightly. Why was this so hard? "I just wanted to thank you for saving Iris. And you sacrificed a lot to bring that whole place down."

"No big deal." She stepped out, closing the door behind her. "I like Iris. I met her when she was hunting demons in Hammerhead. I couldn't just let her fall out of that tower." For a moment, neither of them said anything more. Gladiolus didn't really have this planned out. While he was good at conversing with people, he was not doing very well at redeeming himself now. Perhaps acting like he hated her just took less effort.

"Not very often we get a good dinner like we did tonight." Now, he was resorting to small talk. "How was that devilfin soup?"

She finally managed a smile, and that made things a little less weird for him. "I didn't want to say anything, but it tasted like piss." Nyxia ran her fingers through her long hair, untangling it in one sweep. "But then again, so did my lunch. Might be a side effect."

Once again, silence fell on their ears. Gladiolus couldn't imagine all the hardships that she had to go through. The majority of her existence was led by unseen entities. It almost wasn't even her life to live. Whatever happened at The Cryotower only made matters more complicated for her, but he couldn't even begin to understand.

"I should probably lay back down. Don't want to hold you up anymore." There was almost a sourness in her voice that he'd caught onto, and he certainly was not expecting it. It literally came out of nowhere. It wasn't like her at all.

"Nyxia, the hell is wrong with you?" Gladio demanded. "I came up here to be nice for a change, and you just throw it back in my face."

Shit. That escalated quickly.

"Yeah? And who put you up to it?" she snapped back. Her eyes shot daggers into him. "Ignis? Did he force you to pretend to be nice?"

What the hell did she just say?

His body felt hot with rage, and before Nyxia could turn around to open the door, Gladio's hand slammed into the trim. He didn't care that he might have felt the wood crack beneath his palm.

"I'm not afraid of you, Gladio," she sneered up at him. He was not expecting this. She only stood as high as his pecks, and considering she was boxed between him and the door, she looked to be in a rather vulnerable situation...

"You've seen what I'm capable of. You should be terrified."

"Go ahead then," Nyxia snapped. "Do your worst. We both know you've been wanting to do away with me for a while now." He had never seen such fire in her, it was actually a bit impressive. Usually, she was a lot less outspoken than this. He was almost convinced she would let him walk all over her. "You have me to yourself. So, do it."

He could see the fury and might of the Six in her green eyes. It drew him in like a moth to the flame. He wanted to inflict pain. He growled, his rough hand winding around the front of her neck. He could probably snap her in two like a twig.

And he wanted to.


	10. Lust To Dust

Only a small fraction of it was empty words. It wasn't like Nyxia had a death wish, that was for sure, but she hated feeling like a victim of someone who was supposed to be protecting her. What would the king think if he found out how Gladio had been treating her?

Maybe she had pushed him too far? Was she about to get what was coming to her? She wished she had eaten those words as his large hand seized her by the neck. What was done was done. She had to stand her ground, even if he did pummel her to oblivion. She wouldn't put it past him to hit a woman.

Breathing became difficult, but then, something happened that made it damn near impossible. His lips suddenly crashed into hers, to the point that it might have even bruised her. It wasn't brief, and even though it was vigorous and almost painful, a part of her found herself enjoying it. How long had it been since she got to partake in the pleasures of the flesh?

This journey had elapsed for four weeks now. Before then, her time consisted of nothing but three years of training for her task. To put it simply, it had been a few years.

They were still in the hallway, and she was still pressed back into the door to her room. As if he was thinking the same thing she was, his free hand grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. Behind her, the door swung away from her back, and she all but stumbled inside. The fervent kiss hadn't separated, nor had his grip from her throat.

The door slammed shut, but just as soon as it did, the brute force of his body shoved her up against the wall beside it. There was no tenderness in any of it. The same ferocity he used in battle, he used now. Nyxia didn't know what it really meant, but she wasn't looking for tenderness.

She just wanted to feel good. It didn't matter that it was with him.

Without even permitting them to, her feet left the ground, legs pinned about his waist. He held her up against the hard plaster as if she was the weight of a small, picture frame ready to be mounted on the wall. For the sake of having somewhere for her hands to go, they ran beneath his vest to settle on his broad shoulders.

The silk robe she wore was shredded open like a curtain, leaving little to the imagination from there. She sported sexy underwear in solitude just because, and besides Rubia wasn't around, so, why not?

Obviously, because it made it easier to tempt hate-fucking with Gladio. That had _not_ been her intention.

Finally, Nyxia needed a wisp of air. She reared back her head only to moan (though a bit too loudly) as he ground himself against her. Her fingers tightened into a squeeze; nails dragged, eliciting a low groan from him. Then, she was thrown into bed. It was the first time he had managed to take his hands off of her within these past, few minutes.

She bounced twice on the mattress, and he came up beside her, his hand snatching her by the roots of her obsidian hair this time. Nyxia gasped, forced to rise up as he pulled at her. Despite the pain, her arousal was nearly at its peak. All the while, however, she almost knew that Gladio was not doing any of this for her pleasure - merely his own.

She was sitting up on her knees on the bed, and she could spot the sultry gaze in his eyes as he looked upon her. It made her feel a bit powerless - it made her _want_ to feel powerless, and that was a sensation she never imagined she would feel before.

He yanked the robe off altogether, and it fell as a pool of silk on the bed sheets only to be pinned beneath her as he pushed her down. Only two seconds were dedicated to removing the rest of her underclothes, and in return, she was tearing off the sleeveless jacket that he wore. It was tossed somewhere behind him, but he seemed too busy opening his fly to care where it landed.

It was probably the second to last hour of the day when he showed up at her door. By the time they were done, the sky was beginning to color itself orange. Gladio was always known for his remarkable stamina in any situation, so Nyxia was amazed that she could keep up with him for this long.

They were both practically showered in sweat, sprawled across the large bed as he rolled off of her for... She had no idea how many times they had picked back up. She laid on her back, heavy breaths escaping both of them as they stared up at the ceiling. She was sore again, but this was a completely different pain from being smashed by the ruins of a crumbling tower. This was a strangely satisfying pain. She knew her ass had to be red from abuse, and at one point, she was sure he had nearly choked her back into a coma.

Then, once the adrenaline rush had finally subsided, Gladio was climbing off of the bed and gathering his clothes. Nothing was said, even during the violent exchange, until he pulled his vest back over his inked torso.

"This never happened," he said dryly.

"What?" Nyxia sat up and stared at him in disbelief. That was it? He was just here to use and abuse her, then pretend nothing happened!? "Is it that easy for you? You're just going to hit and run?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. We have a job to finish, that's all."

"Scumbag." Her eyes glared through him like daggers. Rage filled her like a boiling pot of oil, and it was ready to set itself alight. "I would have been better off if I let those necromancers finish you off."

Gladio looked over his shoulder at her and smiled emotionlessly. "I can live with that." Without another word, he left the room. She couldn't say she exactly liked him, but she had started reaching that point where she didn't dislike him...right up until now. She laid herself back down, stark naked and conflicted as she tried to process this.

Fuck it. She'd get over it.

Jerk.


	11. Flight or Fear

Ignis was reviewing their map when the door to the room had opened. He hadn't been up for very long at all, but was alert enough to recognize that Gladio looked immensely burned out. He had been up all night, apparently. What was on his mind? As Prompto was still sleeping soundly on the couch, he inquired quietly.

"Long night?" He had to be tactful as to how he approached him. Asking if something was wrong would probably warrant no useful response. Ignis had to be stealthy if he wanted to get his answers.

"Just a bit." He expected him to be vague, but he at least got the truth out of him. That was a start. "There's a few errands I have to run. I'll catch up with you guys at the Crown City."

Ignis wasn't expecting this. Last time Gladio ran off at the last second, he was on a search for power. That task could almost have killed him.

"Are you sure you'll be fine on your own?"

"Do you really need to ask? I'm just as sure of it as I am that you guys will be fine without me for a little while. All you're doing is making a delivery." Gladiolus put on his signature grin. Ignis supposed he couldn't argue with him. "If you reach the king before I do, tell him I said _hey_."

"I will."

The farewell had been brief, but once the door had shut behind Gladiolus , the young man who had been laying on the couch popped right up. It appeared as though he'd heard the whole thing.

"What do you think he's _really_ up to?" Prompto asked. Ignis did not like admitting he did not know.

"I have my suspicions, but none that I feel confident about voicing right this moment." His biggest suspicion was that Gladio's ego may have been bruised since their search-and-rescue mission, and that he was on his own pursuit to redeem it in one way or another.

Prompto stretched his arms as he sat up, likely too tired to make any guesses right now. "So, I guess it's just the three of us heading back to Curia. How long of a drive is that going to be?"

"Approximately 78 hours, with minimal pit stops."

"Sooooo... That probably means closer to eighty hours, because I still have plenty of room on the camera for more pictures."

Ignis just smiled, then got up from the chair. "If you could head over to Nyxia's room and assist her, that will speed up our process of getting on the road."

"I'm on it!" Prompto jumped up, but then stifled a yawn. "Can we double up on the Ebony? I feel so drained."

"Certainly. I'll grab two at the shop downstairs, and we'll reunite at the car." After Prompto left, Ignis did what he could to tidy up the room. While he knew it wasn't absolutely necessary, it was simply a courtesy to the maids. He truly believed they didn't make nearly enough gil for their hard work - and some of the things they had to clean up... Ignis couldn't imagine. He also wanted to make sure that if anything happened to be misplaced, his cleaning would unearth it.

Once everything was packed and taken to the Stella, he returned inside to visit the shop. They were running low on antidotes, though with Rubia around, most healing ointments weren't relied on too frequently - but it was best to keep some on hand, in case of an emergency.


	12. Homeward Bound

Nyxia had just gotten herself out of the shower. She never felt so disgusted with herself. Sure, at the time, her very unexpected tryst with Gladio had been rather exhilarating, but after all the fireworks and excitement had settled, she felt rather sick to her stomach.

Why had she allowed things to escalate as they had? They thoroughly disliked each other - didn't they? Nyxia could never say she _hated_ him, but she wasn't at all fond of the way he treated her. Just these past few hours was when he treated her with the most decency, even if all he was after was his own satisfaction.

There was a knock on the hotel room's door, and for a moment, she panicked. Had he blown off some steam and come to approach her? What was he going to say?

Not wanting to encourage him to add onto their raunchy episode, she pulled on a clean set of clothes, stumbling a bit as she pulled on her tight, black pants.

Behind her, a red shape hopped through the open window. Rubia had finally returned, though her whereabouts didn't really leave Nyxia curious. It was pretty common for the Carbuncle to wander out on her own when she wasn't needed.

As she went to put on her shirt, she saw a rather foul-looking bruise that decorated her neck in her reflection. He certainly damaged her pretty good. Her body hurt all over, especially two, particular orifices. Nyxia was sure she had a scarf in her luggage somewhere; it would have to do to avoid questions from the others. Again, the knocks came, shortly followed by a voice that she was relieved was not Gladio's .

"Xia? You up?"

It was Prompto - he was the only one that used the nickname, at that. She quickened her process to the door and unlocked its two hinges before pulling it ajar. "Morning. Sorry. Just got dressed."

"Hey, no big. Ignis sent me to come get you. We gotta go."

"Back to Curia?" Nyxia clarified, dreading the long, awkward ride back home with Gladio. Prompto helped her pack everything up, though it wasn't much. The two of them were just heading out as the cleaning lady came down the hall with her cart.

"You seem out of it," he mentioned as they got into the elevator to head down. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Nyxia answered - she was pretty much prepared for that question. "I've just been feeling kind of weird since I woke up from that coma."

"I hear ya," Prompto answered. "If there's anything we can do to help, just say the word. I'm sure Ignis can get you some Ebony, if you need a pick-me-up."

"You know, after all this time, I never told you guys I don't really like coffee."

Prompto just laughed. "Neither do I, but if I need to wake up, it helps." Once they got outside, Nyxia spotted Ignis by the car; the convertible top was down, and there was something else, as well...

Gladio was nowhere to be seen. Maybe that was a good thing.

"Rise and shine," Ignis said, looking up from the map on the hood of the car. "We're going it without Gladio for a while. He had other, unmentionable matters to attend to." At this, Nyxia restrained a sigh of relief - at the same time, however, she wondered if he had left because of her.

Or, rather, because of what they _both_ did.

"So, what's for breakfast?" Prompto asked erratically. Of course, he was always thinking about food. That was fine. In fact, she was a bit peckish, too.

"What are we in the mood for?" Ignis pried. "Just keep in mind, we want to spend as little time as possible off the main route."

They decided on a diner that was only twenty minutes down the road. They took their food to go - Nyxia, for one, helped herself to a wrap that consisted of egg white, cheese, and spinach. The leftovers went to Rubia. After all, healthy food kept a healthy mind, though today hers was exceptionally quiet absent of the Divinities that usually had something to say. She assumed it was just because her body was still tired from the night-long frenzy.

At least the ride was a little less cumbersome without Gladio. She tucked her scarf beneath the neckline of her leather top, pulling up the full-length zipper more to secure it in place.

"You're a little quiet," Ignis eventually probed at her, and it wasn't until then that she realized they had been on the road for four hours.

"Sorry," Nyxia's reply was simple.

"Don't be. I imagine you're still enervated from recent events." Ignis took a right-hand turn, taking them into the steep hills of Olaris. "Have you reached the Divinities since you reawakened?"

"Strangely, no...but then again, I haven't tried to."

"Hm... Probably not as strange as you might think. We located the gem. What more could they want?"

Truth was, Nyxia knew that the beings that gave her second sight aided her in more than just finding the artifact. If she sought something, they always led the way, so as long as it was practical. But right now, the group already knew their final destination. She didn't need supernatural deities to guide her back home.

Come dinner time, they were only a mile away from the next outpost, just on the outskirts of the region of hills.

"We are a little bit ahead of schedule," Ignis said as he eased on the gas, slowing down to the posted, speed limit. "Why don't we eat in?"

"I like that idea!" Prompto approved. Nyxie like the sound of that, though was telling herself she needed to act a little less awkward if she didn't want the two of them making inquiries.

Over the road of the engine, there was the sound of canine growls behind them. There was the sound of canine growls behind them. Prompto and Nyxie looked over the back of the car, spotting half a dozen skeletal creatures tearing at the asphalt.

"Damn! Where did you guys come from?" Prompto demanded.

"We try to lose them. We certainly can't lead them into town." The vehicle sped up, and Nyxie watched as the hounds followed suit. The buildings of the outpost blurred past them, and their pursuers chased them around a sharp curve.

"They're right behind us!" Prompto called to their driver.

"Ignis," Nyxia said, "we might have to take them down." Apparently in agreement, he stopped the car with a slam on the brakes. The battered Stella skidded to a halt, and Nyxia and Prompto climbed out, weapons materializing to ready positions. Two started charging at her, and her staff swung forward, sending a couple of balls of flame at them. One landed, yet the second one was dodged. By her own will, Nyxia summoned a spear at the end of her wand, rearing back enough to drive it forward and into the belly of the giant dog. The third one was coming up behind her, and Nyxia dodged to the left quickly.

Meanwhile, Ignis and Prompto were taking out some of the others. She used her spear as a pole vault to gain an advantage point above her third target - then, she plunged the spear into its skull. Just as she finished taking it out, Ignis had taken out the last one of the group.

Having successfully cleared their threat, they examined what it was, exactly. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think these might be pets of the necromancers," Nyxia said thoughtfully. In fact, she was certain she was right. She really didn't even need a confirmation from Ignis.

"The correction won't be necessary. It appears they tracked us down, since we - or you, primarily - destroyed the tower."

"I have no problems taking credit for that. They deserved what they got."

"I definitely worked up an appetite," Prompto butted in. "Can we chow now?"

"We can manage a small turnaround."

Nyxia was right beside Prompto on having a strong appetite. Perhaps all she needed was a good fight to feel relatively normal again. As a matter of fact, she was really craving a good size sirloin - loaded with sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. Luckily for her, the food joint here was able to provide just that for her.

She couldn't believe she was able to eat the whole thing, as well as a buttered, baked potato on the side and a giant piece of garlic bread. The only thing she took with her was a piece of red velvet cake to save for later. Even Prompto, who offered his bread to Rubia, had mentioned he never saw Nyxia eat so much. They were on the road again by the twentieth hour, which had them cautious about demons on the road. Nyxia had taken the wheel so that Ignis could rest his eyes. After all, she was still very much alert.

There was something complacent about driving, especially when she was able to keep the top down and let the wind blow through her long hair. It was a wonder why Prompto didn't complain about it whipping him in the face. Then again, after their upbeat battle and hefty meal, he was fast asleep, too.

 _'So, what is the matter?'_ Rubia asked, her soft voice speaking up for the first time during their ride back towards Curia.

"I'm fine," Nyxie lied, but she made in addition to try and make it sound a little more convincing. At least Rubia wasn't a mind reader. "Or, at least, as fine as I can be after being out for three days."

She had a lot to think over as she silently drove the Stella through the tunnel that would take them on to the Vienne Stretch - a long road notorious for its dull view of flatlands for approximately seventy miles. It was the best time for Prompto to get some rest - there weren't many subjects for him to miss on this boring highway. In the distance, somewhere out in the grass, she did spot a group of goblins prancing around in the dark. They were a ways off and didn't pose a threat, so there really was no need to approach them. Let them gallop. They had a certain to take to the king.


	13. Arte Et Marte

Prompto's eyes fluttered open to the voices of Ignis and Nyxia. The sun was blinding as he opened his eyes, that he had to shut them again.

"Are you ready for me to take over?" Ignis was asking.

"I'm alright, if you want some more time away from the wheel," Nyxia insisted. Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Prompto reopened them to see where they were. He still had to shield his eyes with a hand.

"Hey, is that Cape Caem?" Out on a far hill, he could see the familiar lighthouse erect against the blue skies. He assumed that Iris had already made it back safe and sound.

"Indeed, it is. Nyxia has made a good deal of progress overnight - which likely means she may have been speeding." Ignis glanced over at their driver, but he was smiling.

"Maybe just a little," she confessed.

Prompto's eyes then stopped on a couple of large animals - one significantly smaller than the other, but still, both were huge compared to him.

"Guys! Look! A momma catoplebas and its baby!" he gasped excitedly. "Can we stop for a picture?"

Quickly, Nyxia put on the brakes and the engine kept running, sending Prompto scooting forward in his seat. "Knock yourself out."

"Awesome!" Prompto cheered, unshaken by the abrupt break. He practically jumped out of the vehicle with no regards for opening the door, his camera in hand. He knew that he had to keep his distance to stay out of danger, but luckily, his subjects were pretty large, and he had excellent, optical zoom on his camera. Quickly, his excitement changed to focus like the blink of a shutter. He kept low to the ground to try and avoid being detected. The baby catoplebas was lying in the grass, and its parent stood watch. They were close to the lake, just at the bank of it, as a matter of fact. It would make a beautiful shot - he just needed to take the picture from higher ground. Prompto spotted a hill just a few yards away. As he moved there, he glanced to the car to see the other two were carrying on a conversation, though they did turn their heads to observe him for a moment. He assumed a position on the top of the small hill. The mother beast lifted her head to look out over the water.

Click! Click!

"Perfect," he whisper to himself, relieved he had gotten a couple of great shots without being spotted.

Soon, he was in the back seat again, his heart racing as he was bragging about his shots. "That filter looks nice, Prompto. The saturation makes the water looks so pretty," Nyxia said.

"Does it? Aw, thanks!" It felt good to get compliments, even though he felt confident in his work. The reminder was just nice when it came from someone else for a change.

He flipped through his recent poses, filtering out those that he deemed not worthy enough to keep in his collection - primarily, if it was blurry or just plain awkward. After lunch, Ignis took over again at the steering wheel. It was obvious that Nyxia was starting to get tired, and Prompto couldn't say he blamed her. Driving all night and all morning was no doubt a lot more work than it looked!

It was established that the trio would probably make it to Lestallum around nightfall. They would book a room there to ensure a fresh start in the morning and then head north. If all went well, they would make it to Curia the next evening.

Once they got comfortable in their booked room, Prompto plopped down on the couch. He was perfectly okay with laying on the sofa when there wasn't enough bed space available. He took a few minutes to get caught up on King's Knight before he would filter through his pictures on his shiny, new camera some more.

There were a few pictures that he was able to get rid of, but he eventually found himself getting caught up and looking at some of the older pictures. He had made sure to transfer some of his favorites from the old camera. The rest he kept on a hard drive at home. A lot of them were from when they ventured with Noctis. It still pained him at times to know he'd never hang out with his photogenic buddy again. Could there have been a way for Noctis to be spared and still save the world from the daemons? They would probably never know, but even though it had been two years since he died, the wounds were still fresh.

He couldn't help but chuckle a little when he paused on a shot of Noctis fast asleep in the back of the Regalia, mouth wide open through snoring. Once he realized he was starting to get nostalgic, he forced himself to turn the device off and charge it. _No point in getting teary-eyed right now, dude. Pull yourself together._

* * *

The sun was just setting as they pulled through the giant gate that led to the city of Curia. Finally, their journey was at an end. It took nearly a month for them to track down the gem, though that didn't include the extra week they spent trying to get information within the city. Now, all they could do was chat about their plans on their time away from duty.

Ignis's plans were to learn new recipes - something he could never stop doing. He mentioned that he knew of a well-known chef that was traveling to Lestallum in a few weeks, so he intended to go back to pay him a visit.

Prompto mentioned a new, video game he was looking to buy the moment he returned home, called _Newborn Shadows_. He had been saving up gil just for this before they were sent on their mission with Nyxia, but finally, he was able to make that purchase. It would be awesome to return to pulling all-nighters hacking and slashing.

Kind of like his real-life scenario, he supposed!

First thing was first, though. The gem had to be delivered to the Sanctuary. Cingarus wasn't in the throne room, and if it hadn't been for the fact that Nyxia had called him first, they would not have known that he would be found in one of the numerous studies, looking over a book as he stood by a lit fireplace. The three of them stepped inside, and they each gave him a courteous bow.

Cingarus didn't look it, but he was almost as old as King Regis was before he died. He probably aged so well because of magic, though Prompto was too shy to really ask what his secret was.

"I'm glad you all made it safe-" Then, Cingarus paused, apparently noticing they were one short. "Where is Sir Amicitia?"

Ignis straightened his stance, looking apologetic. "He left on short notice. I'm afraid he had other matters he had to attend to." Prompto wished they could have given him a better explanation. Even he was just as clueless as everyone else.

"Hmm. Sounds like him." He looked over to Nyxia, who was the one that held the shuriken, which she had taken the liberty of wrapping in black cloth to keep it protected. He took it from her, the exchange between the two of them quite formal - one would have almost forgotten they were father and daughter.

"I'll have an alchemist take a look at it - his name is Alcaeus. Until then, you all deserve a well-earned rest."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Ignis answered.

Once Ignis and Prompto were excused, they were welcome to take their separate ways to return to their homes. Prompto, for one, was looking forward to coming back to his own apartment and collapsing onto his bed. It would probably lead up to the best night of sleep he would have in a long, long time. He had a game plan already set up for tomorrow. First, he would update his photography site for the first time in months - after all, he had a lot of good shots to share. Maybe he'd blog about some of it, see what kind of new followers he could get to latch on.

Then, it would be time to get his game on!


	14. Halo On Fire

Nyxia had spent the remainder of the evening with her father, enjoying the best meal she had had in a couple of months. She was very fond of the honeyed ham, but there weren't many words to exchange with Cingarus. He did praise her for bringing the Necromancer's Jewel, but it was obvious that their journey was not yet at its end. Only half of the task was finished, but all was at a standstill until they knew what had to be done to destroy the artifact.

It was nice to be back in her room again, which had been maintained by the maid even in her absence. One thing she definitely missed was her polished, black cello that she had to leave behind. Next to the magic staves she possessed, it was her pride and joy, and when she wasn't playing the stringed instrument, she was reading up on her vast collection of magic texts. There was always more to learn in the endless void of magic arts. Most of what she learned had been self-taught.

She approached the case that it had been jailed in for all this time, and once she made sure it was tuned, she would begin to play on the strings. It was a soft melody, very quiet and low in tones at first. Behind her, Rubia was already snoozing on a bench at the foot of the bed. It was at the start of a crescendo in her ad-libbed song when her phone buzzed on the small table beside her.

A text message was sent to her, but it came as a big surprise to see the sender's name.

Gladiolus Amicitia.

For a moment, she didn't want to look at it. Neither she nor the other two had heard from Gladio since he left. It was a wonder why she had been the one to first receive anything from him.

After a deep breath, she set down her bow picked up the phone to read the message.

 _Meet me at the Rock of Ravatogh tomorrow. Come alone._

For a moment, Nyxia didn't know how to respond to this. What was he doing in Ravatogh? Why did he want her there, especially alone?

Maybe the night in the hotel room wasn't as easy to forget as they had anticipated.

 _I'll be there tomorrow night._

There was no way she would be able to take on the road tonight. She needed a good night's rest, though it was possible that sleep would not come easily now.

* * *

Remarkably, Nyxia slept in later than she meant to. It was nearly noon by the time she was crawling out of the bed in a hurry. Even still, she had to get herself showered and dressed. She picked out her usual attire - black, fishnets, and leather. Once she was on the road, her heart was in a panic. She hadn't told Ignis or Prompto where she was headed. She hadn't even been in touch with them since the night before.

There was probably no need for the extra backup anyway. Gladio wanted to see just her for a reason, and there was no need to risk revealing their rendezvous to the others. That would be incredibly awkward.

As she passed over the newly built bridge that connected Curia to Leide, she turned on the radio to some heavy, metal music to try and drown her thoughts.

The only stop she made was at a gas station, just long enough to fill the tank and wipe the bug guts from the windshield. She wasn't even hungry enough to grab a bite to eat. It was closer to sundown when she began to realize something very disturbing, rolling into the region of Cleigne.

Was she actually hurrying to see him?

Thirty minutes after the sun had called it a day, Nyxia pulled up to the giant volcano. The smoke still emitted from it as it usually did, though it really posed no threat of eruption.

But why had it been a point of interest to Gladio? She'd no doubt find out soon enough.

Even from where she parked the car, she could feel the heat rising from the mountain. She began following the discreet path that led into the side of the giant rock. Along it was a small number of dead scorpions that were the size of her own, lithe body. Someone had already taken them out, and Nyxia had a feeling that by the large gashes in their corpses, she could tell exactly whose sword was responsible.

Already, she broke into a sweat as she passed through the narrow path between the walls of the rock. It served as a hallway of sorts leading her deeper into the mountain. At first, nothing seemed too much out of place, but that was until a streak of blood coated the ground and painted a trail further up ahead. He no doubt left a path for her to follow, and like a predator, she did just that.

The crimson trail had her trek to a cave that took her slightly away from the staggering heat. Nyxia strolled carefully inside. There was no telling what sort of creatures hid in the depths of mountainous structures. While she gave Gladio a lot of credit, she doubted he took down every living thing here.

A few yards ahead, the long corridor opened up into a larger area of rock walls, stalactites, and stalagmites. It was dark now, requiring Nyxia to rely on her hands-free flashlight. She summoned one of her staves - this time, a steel-blue rod that emitted a coolness to the touch. The feeling was certainly comforting in this environment.

She stalked quietly, her caution keeping her from calling out to him. Caution, and outright nervousness, really.

Then, she heard voices, though they were nearly whispers that carried from further ahead in the cave. None of them were Gladio's, however. It was just then that she came to the revelation that this was a setup.

"She'll be here soon. Once we kill her friend, we'll take her to Vess." One voice hissed. She kept hidden behind the wall, peering around the corner to see that the necromancers had come back for seconds.

Then, there came an equally sinister reply. "Remember, he said she cannot be harmed. One strand of hair damaged, and he'll have us dead."

Who was Vess? Was that Gladio on the far end of the chamber? "I'll save him the trouble and end you myself."

From the entrance to the next room, she called upon large shards of ice to penetrate the ground, tearing through one of the eight necromancers in the room.

"GET HER!" hollered one of the hooded figures, but she was already making a swift movement with her staff, freezing the commander in a blizzard wave. Then, she threw the weapon at him, and before it made impact, the tip transformed into a spearhead, causing the solid necromancer to shatter into pieces.

"Gladio!" Nyxia yelled as she summoned a second staff, driving its yellow hilt into the skull of the next attacker. "Wake up!"

He was bound to the wall by metal shackles, low enough to the ground that he was limply sitting. She needed him conscious so she could get him out of here. There was no way she was going to be able to carry him out, that was for sure. Being too preoccupied with the necromancers that were trying to bring her down, she couldn't exactly get a good look at him. She was only able to tell he wasn't moving.

"You're dropping like flies," she taunted her enemies now. "Maybe you should resort to breaking some rules." As if in agreement with her, two of the five that remained drew out their sickles. "Good. It's about time someone made it challenging for me."

One of them came at her with a rather ugly-sounding snarl, one of his curved blades ready to come down on her. She swept forward and beneath it, using her staff to knock off his balance. In front of her, she saw the familiar blade that belonged to Gladio. That would take them out a lot faster.

 _Use it now, ask for forgiveness later._

She dodged away from the next attack to grab the broad sword, her timing just right as she swung it into the necromancer, slicing his body in two, clean halves.

Though it wasn't exactly clean.

The others stopped and took a step back. They had already lost half of their group to a single enchantress and were probably weighing out their possibility of success versus chance of escape.

They took the latter, and really, Nyxia wasn't going to stop them. They could relay whatever message they wanted to their leader. Maybe those bastards would think twice before coming after her and her friends again.

Once the chamber was clear, she looked back over to Gladio, who now seemed conscious, but it really looked like hell had spit him out. At a closer look, he was badly bruised and bloodied. It was a good thing she brought some healing provisions.

"You look like shit," she said, and she drove the massive blade into the chains that held his arms. As he staggered to his feet, she thought she saw him grin a little.

"That thing's not too heavy for you?" he mocked.

"I'm a big girl, but you're more than welcome to have it back." She smirked in return. When they weren't at each other's throats, they did manage to show some decency, but even this was a rarity. Something did change.

"How did you find me?"

"Well, as it seems you're not the one that told me where you were, those bastards led me straight to you using your phone."

"Hm. That explains why I'm phoneless." She handed him back his sword, and he took it, leaning its hilt on his shoulder. "The others... I guess they don't know we're here."

"They're taking some time off in the City. Which was what I was supposed to be doing, until you got yourself in this mess."

"Let's face it," he said, and Nyxia felt a miniature, heart attack coming on as his palm found her chin, and his thumb strokes her bottom lip. "You couldn't get enough."

Nyxia fought whatever urges were sneaking up on her. It helped to note that he was a filthy mess. Yanking back her head, she huffed. "I don't know what you're talking about." As she headed for the exiting path, she heard him chuckle behind her, but nothing else was said on the matter.

The two of them follow the path back the way Nyxia had come. Behind her, Gladio asked her a question she hadn't thought about until just then. "I think they know the gem is in Curia."

"Really?" she murmured, taking the familiar bend towards the exit. "If that's the case, I wonder why they're still tracking us down."

"They know we're trying to destroy it, plain and simple." Then, Gladio paused. "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

They should have been outside by now. She thought for sure this had been the right way. It had to be. She was looking at the same, blood trail! "The exit was right here, I know it!" she insisted. Her hand reached out for the barrier. It felt warm, as if... "Of course," she growled.

"What?"

"Those bastards blocked the passage. This wall wasn't here before."

"Here. Let me break it down." He could be her guest, but she was already doubting it would work. Gladio swung a few times at the stone, each impact of the hard metal upon it making a deafening sound above his determined grunts. Yet, nothing. She allowed him to keep going, tempted to see how many blows he'd throw before he gave up.

Finally, after a good, two minutes, Gladio lowered his sword.

"Are you done?" Nyxia inquired.

"Well, you do something, then."

"It's a magical barrier, and a strong one, at that." She lacked the confidence that she could do any better, but she'd at least try. Another type of staff was conjured -one that specialized in water. If anything were to bring these rocks down, it would have to be powerful, aquatic spells.

But, after sending several waves of spells at it, all she could manage to do was make a pool on the ground.

"Looks like we'll have to find another exit," Gladio said. The mountain was large enough for multiple channels and walk ways to pass through it. She just wanted an easy way out.

They backtracked to the larger room where she had found him, and they took a different path, relying on nothing more than guesses to find their way.

"What happened?" Nyxia asked after a few, unsettling minutes of silence between them. "Like, what did they do to you?"

"They found me in Duscae. I was going to pay a visit to Iris, maybe meet up in Lestallum, but they found me first." They came into another, vast clearance, but even with their lights, it was impossible to see the full expanse of the area they were in. "Naturally, they wanted information. They tried to torture me to get me to tell them either where you were or where the gem was."

"You could have sold me out, but you didn't," Nyxia turn to look at him, slightly amazed. "Why?"

"Because your daddy dearest would have killed me for it," Gladio answered. He stopped, sitting his sword down against the rocky formation. "I need a minute. Those fuckers took a lot out of me."

"Sure." She knew that he didn't like anyone feeling sorry for him, but she did anyway. He went through a lot of pain to keep quiet, and he was brave for that. He had stuck his neck out for her many times over, and even though he griped about it, he didn't stop. She approached an empty basin nearby that was just large enough to fill with water. "Here, let's get you cleaned up, at least." She took some of the potion she had left over and poured it into the small pool. "That should help."

"I can make it quick. We need to keep moving." As Gladio sat by the basin, she knelt beside him. The healing water would replenish him completely once he was cleansed with it. She pulled off her scarf, dipping it into the water before she would carefully run it along the phoenix tattoo on his chest. It was tinted with red and blue by the wounds he had achieved. The blood washed away easily enough, and shortly after, even the discoloration and cuts began to fade. At this rate, he seemed relaxed - until Nyxia moved to take off his vest.

"Relax, Gladio," she said, trying to keep from smiling. "Not like I haven't seen it all already." She heard him snigger through a single syllable. Besides, she was just checking out the rest of his upper body to make sure he was alright. He had a few gashes on his back, and so she cleansed the scarf before she would wipe them clean, as well. "They sure did a number on you," she murmured.

"Kind of like how I did a number on you," Gladio answered. At first, Nyxia thought he was being a smart-ass, but as she looked at him, his eyes had been turning away from her neck. She had almost forgotten about those bruises.

"It wasn't that bad," she said. It wasn't bad at all - in fact, it physically felt awesome. She just wouldn't admit it out loud. Not to mention, her guilt made the memory of it not so great.

"I couldn't help it," he said, and she froze as his hands dipped into the water. The medicine now grazed over her neck, but the gentleness of his hands on her came as a surprise. "I was just so angry at the time, but there was something else. Not just that I wanted you, but I wanted _power_ over you." He sighed. "It sounds shitty when I actually say it, I know."

She didn't expect any compassion to come out of what they had done that night, but to be frank, she was perfectly content with it being just physical. It would only make things more confusing if it was platonic.

"Even now, it's hard not to do bad things to you."

Nyxie felt a shiver split down her spine; it was all she could do not too big for him to listen to his instincts. "Make it easy on yourself, then. Just do it." She felt his grip tighten around her neck, and why the pressure only thrilled her more, she couldn't fully explain, nor did she care to piece it together. She leaned back her head, her body tensing with excitement as he leaned in. Just as she felt his breath hit her skin, a skittering sound stirred in the darkness, breaking their focus.

"What the hell?" He turned his head in the direction. Whatever it was, it sounded big, but it seem to be moving further away. Nyxia got up to her feet, although she was a little light-headed. Once Gladio gathered his things, he moved to follow the noise, and just as soundlessly, she followed. They stopped at the sight of movement ahead, but she only moved once he did. "A reapertail," he informed quietly. "By the looks of it, it's looking for food."

"Which means he's going outside."

"That's right." The pair had to be stealthy and quiet as they followed the scorpion. That was only difficult when it sped up, but soon, the corridor began to show a small bit of illumination, and the volcano's heat begin to emerge again. They made it out, and Nyxia took a second to breathe in the air - while it was hotter than the city of Lestallum, it was better than the cramped air in that cavern.

Then, a shimmer of light caught her eyes; it was a tiny dot in the distance, almost like a star in the rocky hills. It was a torch in the night, and she was fairly certain it belongs to the runaway necromancers. "Where do you suppose they're headed?" Gladio followed her gaze, and suddenly, she was wishing she hadn't pointed them out.

"Let's find out," he said.

"Don't you think we should flag down the others before we go charging in after them?" Nyxia hesitated. She should have known Gladiolus would want swift revenge on those guys.

"Let the boys enjoy their vacation." He was already walking ahead. "Besides, you did pretty good on your own against four of them." She sighed. She wanted her vacation, too. Although, perhaps this gave them some time to make sense out of whatever weird relationship they had.

* * *

 _So, while I do have some more chapters ready to submit, I'm waiting for the weird glitch on FanFiction to stop so I know my followers are getting their e-mails. Meanwhile, I am open to ideas as to what can happen down the road. Should these two get serious? Should it just be a fling? Also, if there's a canon you're interested in seeing that hasn't appeared yet, or another pairing (not really into the boy/boy pairings, I'll be honest), I'm open to suggestions!_


	15. Follow The Herd

_All seems back to normal with story updates, so enjoy the next chapter!_

Gladio wasn't entirely sure how to approach this situation with Nyxia. On one hand, he lusted after her no less than he did the night he took her. On the other hand, he still felt like an ultimate jerk. It was probably best to stick to the mission with no distractions. As they moved to the direction of the torch lights, Gladio made every effort to avoid looking down as he walked behind her.

 _Come on now. Get your mind out of the gutter for five, stinkin' minutes._

Then again, Nyxia's spitfire attitude and fine taste in tight leather made that a little hard. She wasn't such a bad person. It wasn't even her sex appeal that was a deciding factor. She got him out of some big trouble and didn't even pester him about it. Had the tables been turned, Gladio would once again show extreme frustration, and he realized now how ugly a person could be with a short temper like his. Nyxia was just a reminder that not everyone was afraid of him, and perhaps that was just what he needed to get his act together.

They climbed several rocks to get further ahead, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Considering he worked out on a regular basis, this was just a walk in the park for him. Gladio could still feel the heat rising off of the Rock of Ravatogh, though it was a ways behind them, but thanks to Nyxia's bathwater potion, he felt practically invincible. Heat couldn't slow him down to keep itself from icing over.

The lights eventually disappeared, making it a bit harder to track them down. Still, they followed their own LEDs up to the next mountain. Soon, a familiar stream of blue could be sighted not too far away, reaching to the dark sky.

"There's no way we're going to find them in the dark like this," Nyxia said. "We should set up camp." Seeing the safe haven up ahead, Gladio somehow knew what Nyxia was going to suggest. They had no time for setting up camp. The necromancers probably suspected that the two of them were still trapped in the caves that they had barricaded them in.

"If we're going to get them, now's the time. We can throw them off guard."

Then, right as he finished his sentence, a low rumble shook the ground. Was that what he thought it was?

Then, Nyxia yelled loudly. A giant, red hand snatched her by the ankle, and as the demon emerged from the heavy, black cloud surrounding it, the witch was hanging upside-down in the air, her black hair dangling three feet from the top of her head.

Gladio stretched out his arm, and his sword was instantly in his grip. As he swung it through the air to attack the daemon, it made a loud, crashing sound on the impact. The blade landed on its arm, causing it to drop the girl. As she fell, he speedily dashed forward to catch her before she hit the ground. The moment Nyxia was back on her feet, the both of them were teaming up on the daemon. She started shredding on him with her ice staff, and Gladio came up from behind the Red Giant to blindside it. Suddenly, he spotted her flying over the daemon's shoulder, just barely missing a hit from its monstrous bludgeon.

Another blast of ice was painfully thrown into the fiend's face. It emitted an angry roar of pain and stumbled to the ground. Nyxia was coming back down again, and Gladio readied himself to catch her again.

"Gladio! Give me a boost!"

No time for questions - he did as he was told, and he hoped she knew what she was doing. He braced himself as Nyxia came downward, hands put together to catch her by the boots and to push her up in the direction of the Red Giant. She finished it off with the spear, and he watched as the daemon dissolved into nothing.

Damn, that had been exhilarating. Gladio realized then that that had been the first time they showed such awesome teamwork.

"Sun's starting to come up," she said as she walked by him. The adrenaline was building up in him from the fight, that it took all all he had not to tear into her right then and there. Yet, they kept moving, given a little bit of light to be able to see a suspicious building further ahead. It didn't look like much - in fact, it looked pretty dilapidated. They spotted a set of stairs, leading them to a cubicle of stone. By the time they got there, it was faintly dressed in sunlight. There didn't appear to be anything here to allow them to progress forward.

"They have to be somewhere close by. They couldn't have just disappeared."

"Hold on." Nyxia stepped up to the wall, looking at the strange engraving in the stone. It was circular, and inside of it, there was a number of strange symbols that Gladio wasn't exactly familiar with. If Ignis was here, he might know what it meant. "I think it's a door," she said. "But I don't see a lock or key hole."

"Maybe a magical seal," he assumed, observing the runes imprinted into the barrier. "Can you open it?"

"There's a problem. I don't know what these symbols mean. I could exhaust what I have until something works."

"I have a better idea. Hang on." He reached for his pants pocket to retrieve his phone - only to remember he never did get it back from the necromancers. "I was going to call Ignis, but..."

"Lucky for you, I got back up." Nyxia pulled out her phone and dialed. And hadn't taken long for her to get an answer. "Ignis, I'm wondering if you can help me." There was a pause, and Gladio crossed his arms as he waited. "I came across a picture of a door, and it has a seal on it, I think." There was a pause. "No, it's round, and it's kind of big." Another break. "Yes, there are hieroglyphs, but I don't know what any of them mean... Uh-huh. Yeah, hold on." She started examining the strange markings. "The bottom-most one looks like a letter Y, but it has an arch around it. The left one looks like a circle with a trident over it. The top one is a crescent moon with a squiggly line, and the right one looks like a pair of mountain peaks."

There were a few moments of silence, and Gladio assumed Ignis was digging through a book for their answer. The more he looked at them, the more familiar they seemed. Had he seen them before?

"Seriously?" Nyxia said, and now she was sounding highly frustrated. "Okay. Well, thank you, Ignis. Sure, I can swing by later. Might be a bit, though. I'll send you a message when I find out when." She hung up the phone, and Gladio looked back over to her.

"What's the bad news?" He could tell that whatever it was, it was going to prove a challenge for them to get past this sealed door.

"He says it can only be opened at night."

They had literally just missed their chance by mere minutes. "Are you shitting me?" Although, it made sense. When he served as Noctis's Shield in the past, they had come across similar doors. Now, he understood why those symbols looked familiar. Morning had just gotten here. Did that mean they were screwed until nightfall? Her lack of a reply told him she wasn't cracking jokes. "Well... Maybe we have no choice but to camp out now."

During the day. That made no sense. But if he was honest to himself, he would have admitted he was exhausted since he was regrettably kidnapped and tortured.

"Might be best. I can cook up something. I'm not a master chef like Ignis, but I have food in the stash."

"Along with your collection of fifty, magic sticks?" he teased.

"Hey, watch it. My magic stick saved your ass, and your sister's, for that matter." There was that fire again. Gladio simply smiled, but he gave no voiced response. He wasn't about to argue with her there.

They started retracing their steps back to the safe haven, and to force a distraction on himself, he pitched up the tent. Meanwhile, Nyxia was harvesting a couple of herbs in the vicinity. Soon, she was conjuring a fire and cooking up a couple of sirloins over it. The plants she had harvested were combined to make a seasoning, and on the side, she prepared sliced cucumbers with a sweet, vinegar-based sauce.

"Smells good." He looks towards the camp setup. It was kind of strange that it was just the two of them. He grabbed a slice of cucumber drizzled in the glaze and popped it into his mouth. It was a delicious, sweet flavor, simple as it was, like a thin syrup.

"Balsamic fig glaze," Nyxia said. "Ignis showed me how to make it one time."

"It's really good." However, he was more excited about those slabs of meat. That was what kept him big and strong. "Smells like coeurl meat, but a little different."

"That's because when he makes it, he cooks it with bourbon sauce. Unfortunately, I don't have the sweet pepper for the right flavor. Instead, I've got some garlic I can make work until a nice sauce. Could you grab me that knife over there?"

Answering her request, Gladio picked up the steak knife nearby and handed it to her, and he watched as she cut into the darkening need to check the inside of it. "I didn't know you could cook. You've been humble."

"Too lazy to do it, a lot of the time. How do you like your steak cooked? I forget."

It was nice of her to care enough to ask. "Medium-rare, but I'm fine with a little extra pink."

Somehow, that sounded inappropriate. He seemed to be the only one to notice that.

Eventually, they were sitting around the fire, enjoying the meal she had made. This was the first time he'd eaten anything she'd whipped up. She could almost compete with Ignis's cooking skills. For a little while, it was silent between the two of them, almost to the point of an awkward edge, but finally, Nyxia saved the day.

"I never told the others that I came out here." He looked at her with a questioning look as he chewed his meat. It was apparent that she had more that she wanted to say, so he remained silent. "When I saw the message from your phone, I had no idea it wasn't even you."

"What did it say, exactly?"

"It just said to meet you at the volcano, and that I should come alone." She shook her head, and the tiny laugh that sounded from her was anything but humorous. "Looking back at it, I should have known it was a trap."

"But you came, and like you said, you saved my ass."

"I know. It's just the reason I came... Obviously, I didn't know you were taken captive."

"Does it matter why you came?"

For a little while longer, Nyxia was quiet. She hadn't eaten much of her meal, he noticed. Finally, she shook her head. "No, I suppose not." He had a feeling he knew why she answered the call. Perhaps, Gladio assumed, he wasn't the only one struggling with his desires.

At least the weather was nice enough to make this a comfortable breakfast. For a little while longer, the two of them finish their meals in quietude. Nyxia was the first to get up from her folding chair. Her face was hard to read, but it looked as if something was bothering her.

"I need to Reflect. I haven't done it in a few days. Will you be all right for a couple of hours?" Gladio was familiar with what she meant by Reflecting. It was a form of meditation, but in the company of the entities that were a part of her.

And like meditation, Reflection usually was used to deter stress. He was beginning to think he might have been the cause of that.

"Sure. Do what you need to." While she did, he suppose he could go ahead and get a nap in. If he had his phone, he'd get caught up in that for a bit, but that was no big deal. He'd get a new one after they returned home.


	16. Nightfall

Her needs to Reflect had nothing to do with Gladio, oddly enough. In fact, even more strangely, his company helped keep her sanity, even while just eating and holding a small conversation. The voices of the divinities had been uncomfortably quiet since she woke up from that long sleep. She hoped they would tell her why the necromancers still threatened them, but it required full focus and an emptied mind to reach them.

She perched by the dying fire, and though the stone platform was hard and uncomfortable beneath her, she eventually came to ignore it. Her eyes closed, and she took in a deep breath before shortly after letting it out. The smell of sulfur filled her lungs, which wasn't a bad smell - in fact, as a child, she used to light matches just to blow them out and take in the burning scent.

Soon, all thoughts were cast aside, save for her question to her supernatural guardians. She asked them for their presence, kind of like a rite of summoning for personal interest (only they weren't gods, just lesser deities), yet, she didn't utter a word. She was answered with nothing more than a stir in the wind, but these things usually took time, so she showed no break in her patience.

Time left her for an uncertain span, but her concentration was broken by a rustling sound behind her. She opened her eyes, surprised to see the sun had almost finished its march across the sky. She had been seeking answers literally all day and received nothing. Instead, she felt as though she had slept upright through the entire, late morning and afternoon. Behind her, Gladio was cleaning up the camp and packing everything up. He seemed to have noticed that she was stirred from her Reflection.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," he said.

"It's fine," she murmured, her body stiff as a board as she went to get up. "I didn't know so much time slipped by. Is it really almost nighttime?"

"You must have needed the rest. If we leave now, we can get back to the door right as the seal breaks."

Nyxia stretched, only feeling a small relief in the soreness of her body. Once she got moving, it would improve. "Let's move."

Once the campsite was barren - save for the ash of the fire - they were heading back to the white, brick structure that was built into the side of a cluster of tall rocks. The trek alone took about forty minutes, and had it taken much longer, they might have been delayed by daemons.

The revisited chamber that was still exposed to the outside world was bathed in the pale light of the moon. The soft illumination gave a glow to the hieroglyphs that adorned the stone. Now, the magic here showed signs to be present, but it wasn't the necromancers that Nyxia sensed; it was a passive magic that gave life to this seal. She approached it, and as she did, the round emblem begin to turn, reacting by gradually shifting the entire wall to the right.

"About time," Gladio said. She could tell he was eager to track his captors down, but she didn't want to rush in without knowing what it was exactly they were rushing into.

"Don't get too headstrong," she warned him. "There could be another trap."

"We'll be careful. I just want to know what they're up to."

Cautiously, they headed down the stone steps. Gladio was close behind her, his sword already drawn just in case. The cool dungeon was incredibly quiet, that they could even hear one another's breathing. They followed a large corridor that took them straight forward into the next room - one that was significantly larger and consisted of a massive statue of Odin. One arm was broken off, having conveniently collapse to create a bridge across the gap to the other side of the room. They crossed it with care, not even capable of distinguishing the entire chamber, considering how dark it was. At the end of the makeshift bridge, they only went a short ways before they took another flight of descending stairs. The scale opened up into a large, desolate area, and it sort of gave her the feeling of walking on empty space. Then, suddenly, her body was yanked back just as a step shattered beneath her foot. Gladio snatched her away from the crumbling floor. There was no visible bottom to this pit, which made the idea of falling that much scarier.

"My hero," she exhaled, trying to keep her humor, despite her shock.

"That's my job," he said, and he carefully maneuvered around her and observed the weakened stone. The gap was easy to jump, but there was no telling how much more the remaining path might fail under their weight. Gladio then turned around. "Wait here." He started walking back to the previous chamber, and after a few minutes, she heard crumbling rock. Then, another minute or so passed before Gladio returned, carrying a stone pillar over his shoulder as if it was merely a polearm. He was a strong guy, that was for sure. She understood his reason; obviously, he was making his own bridge, and the pillar seemed well-supported once it was thrown down on the separated stairway. Only a small portion of steps broke beneath it, but they were able to continue on. They did so swiftly, but carefully, and once they made it to the bottom of the stairs, Nyxia realized only then that she had been holding her breath.

"That was kind of scary," she muttered. Gladio glanced back at her, his signature grin taunting her.

"You scared of heights?"

"No. I'm scared of falling from high places."

"Come on." He let her around the corner, this particular passage leading them into a large alcove with numerous doors, a short set of stairs leading to each of them. Two on the left, two on the right, and then one at the other end of the giant hall. That looked to be the most conspicuous one.

"Now what?" Nyxia asked. "Should we split up?"

"And risk you stumbling off a cliff somewhere?" Gladio teased. "I don't know if I can trust you."

She moved past him, his light words encouraging her flirtatiousness. Her fingers played along the edge of his open vest, tugging him slightly in. "You just can't get enough."

This probably wasn't the place to test him, but she felt the urge to nonetheless, even if only to remind him that she wasn't uninterested.

His grip found her wrist, squeezing firmly as he growled huskily. "Don't tempt me, woman-"

A more monstrous snarl cut him short, sounding from behind the door that was at the very end of the room. They both spun around, instantly on full alert. Nyxia watch as her virile partner went for the door first.

"What was that?" she asked through a whisper. She received no response, and she wasn't sure if that was because Gladio hadn't heard her, or if he was unable to give her a reasonable reply. They both stood in front of the door, watching as a trembled through the quakes of the unknown beast's footsteps. It almost seemed as if whatever it was, it was pushing on the barrier - like it was trying to open it.


	17. Lights Out

They both stood back and waited, evidently anxious that it might ram down the entryway. The pair remain still as statues, until finally, the motions from the monster stopped. There was growl, then a snort... Then, heavy footsteps faded into deafening silence. It had left the area, but Nyxia wasn't too keen on going in just yet.

"Okay. You first."

Gladio just shook his head. "No, I insist. Ladies first."

"Oh, how sweet."

But it wasn't Nyxia who responded. The reply did belong to a woman, albeit much deeper in tone, and it sounded as though it filled the room.

"Who are you?" Nyxia demanded.

"Just a very entertained voyeur," answered the mysterious voice. Nyxia couldn't even figure out where it was coming from. "Your curiosity is rather... unforgivable, but I might let it slide just this once if the two of you could amuse me for just a moment."

"We don't have time for this," Gladio huffed.

"So yourself, so we can get this over with."

"Oh, but I much prefer to watch." The voice sounded rather sultry, and Nyxia was beginning to think this woman had other motives then to attack. "Don't look so confused. I've seen how you look at her." There was a pause, and Nyxia slowly looked at Gladio. "In fact, I've seen plenty more than that..."

That's bizarre. Was this stranger insinuating she had seen the Occurrence at the hotel? Then suddenly, Nyxia's body Felts restrained, and a set of arms and snared her from behind. It could almost be described as an embrace. Then, the sensual voisper close to her left ear.

"Look at her now. She's warm and ripe... Ready to be plucked and tasted..." Nyxia nervously stared at him, and then we stood in front of her with a sword still clutch, his expression was hard to read. "But you already know how she tastes. Sweet, like peaches." Nyxia abruptly gasped, harboring all sorts of mixed feelings as two hands glided over her inner thighs. They were dangerous close. "I wonder if she tastes sweet here, too..."

The sword abruptly came plunging toward her, but the hold on her body had released before any blow could land. It all happened so fast, but Nyxia at least knew that the lascivious woman had fled. She also knew that she was very riled up now. It was embarrassing that she had reacted the way she had to the touch of someone of the same sex.

Again, the door head of them shook with an enraged pulse, and she realized the barrier was beginning to fail. As it fell with a deafening crash, a giant, four-legged beast with razor-sharp fangs and claws tore its way into the chamber. It was a King Behemoth, barely able to hold its own, massive size on the narrow platform.

"Run!" Gladio hollered. There was no way they could take that thing on here. They would have a much better chance of just falling off the ledge and into the abyss. As Gladiolus moved slickly beneath the monster, Nyxia vaulted above its head. They made for the opened room behind it, and the behemoth shredded after them. The floor in this dungeon was fully intact to the rounded walls, unlike a lot of the previous areas in this unknown place. It resembled an arena, but at least it was a much better setting to challenge their attacker.

Nyxia stop short before the wall before she would turn around and send an ice blast at the great beast. In turn, Gladio charged in with his own, devastating blows. The hairy brute roared ferociously, swatting a giant claw at Gladio. He managed to throw his body beneath the foot, and his massive sword was driven into the bottom of it.

The behemoth started to throw a terrifying tantrum, and he had to roll out of the way in order to dodge his trampling. Despite that crimson seemed to spew and every direction, the monstrous creature was still standing. If nothing else, it was just more pissed off.

"Gladio! We need to drive it back into the other room!" Nyxia said. If they could send it over the cliff without risking their own fall, that would be the most ideal. Her staff disappeared, and she held out her hands in front of her, Palms directed towards the Beast. "I'm fed up with these cultists and their pets," she added under her breath. Her fingers began to tingle as small streams of purple begin to fly from them into the monster. This was the rawest form of her powers: arcane magic, though she almost never used it. Channeling it was very dangerous, not just to herself or her enemy, but also any allies in the room.

They moved in curved lines towards her oversized target, violet colored projectiles shooting it square in the chest one after another. It stepped backwards to get away from the missiles, growling angrily that it seemed to shake the walls. Finally, the behemoth had backed itself into the previous room, not even seeming to be aware yet that it was between a rock and a hard spot.

Nyxia had reached the doorway when she collapsed to her knees, suddenly feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of her. She couldn't keep up the spell for long, but the moment she started lacking, Gladio was there to pick up from where she left off. He ran out to face the behemoth, once again swinging his heavy blade. Nyxia had difficulty seeing, as if her vision was fading in and out, into black and light.

 _No... No more blacking out. I can't keep doing this._

She staggered to her feet, trying to discipline herself to keep going. Then, the sound of stone breaking caught her attention, stirring her from her hazy state as she saw that the giant animal was stumbling off of the pathway. Then, she saw Gladio begin to fall.

"Noooo!" she screamed, and she ran toward him, throwing out her arms to grab his as the rock sank beneath his feet. She managed to catch up, but as he dangled there along the side of the bridge, Nyxia couldn't muster the strength to pull him up. She pulled, then finally, her shield managed to grab hold of a sturdy indentation in the wall that allowed him enough leverage to pull himself up the rest of the way.

Nyxia stumbled back clumsily, and as she did, Gladio stumbled on top of her. She still felt dizzy, that not even the provocative position they were in had gone noticed - not by her, anyway.

"You okay?" he asked her, though Nyxia stubbornly nodded her head.

"Could you lift me up?"

"Yeah, of course." Gladio got up, and with ease, he pulled the sorceress up to her feet. "I'm starting to think that they know we're here."

"Then, we'd better push on." Nyxia started moving, though she found herself afraid to, considering her equilibrium was completely off. What if she fell off this bridge and into the abyss?

She staggered to the ground, holding her hands to her head. It was starting to feel like a terrible migraine now, accompanied by her in ability to focus her eyes. Like she had been drugged, in a way. This was the cost for using her arcane magic.

"Nyxia, what did you do?" Gladio scolded her, but she then heard his voice soften about. "We can't keep going like this. Come on. Let's get you out of here."


	18. Feverish

Gladiolus found his judgement had only very briefly been clouded by his lust. Nyxia needed help, and for once, he wasn't looking to blame her for it. Instead, he took her into his arms and carried her out the way they came. At least the backtracking out of the dungeon was easy. Getting her back to the car was his number one priority, but with nighttime still reigning, daemons were still a risk. He would try to avoid them as best as he could, as much as he would have usually preferred to take them head-on.

He took a break at the campground they had previously stopped at, but he didn't stay for long. Nyxia had been conscious all this time so far, but she appeared in and out of it, like she couldn't keep herself awake, nor could she rest. Gladio was partially concerned that she would get sick at any minute. She felt feverish against his torso.

"Whatever it was you did back there, it was cool." He had never seen her do anything like that before. Any time he ever saw her perform spells, it was always with a staff. Even still, it was almost like watching fireworks. While it might have been pretty to look at, it still got the job done, though with a price.

Nyxia only a mumbled a response that he couldn't discern. He tried to get her to drink some water from a stream, but she didn't accept it. Eventually, he located the Stella, which still looked rough from back when they were at the Cryotower. He even took it upon himself to start driving, which was something he almost never did. It wasn't a bad feeling, taking over the wheel. It didn't distract his thoughts, however, and he had a lot of them.

He couldn't stop thinking about that strange woman with the wings. She had to have been a succubus with the way she acted. The things she said... He couldn't determine whether they bothered him or enticed him. He hated to admit that seeing her touch Nyxia the way she had infuriated him.

Shit. Did that mean he was jealous because some chick was frisking up on her? That was a humiliating thought. There was no point in driving all night, all the way back to Curia. With the outpost in Ravatogh in mind, he glanced over to see Nyxia was falling asleep in the passenger seat. She took on that behemoth like a champ, he couldn't deny that.

She also saved him, again. Despite all the terrible things he had said and done, and the fact that he treated her less than a lady ought to be treated...

He exhaled, finding it hard to believe one could have such a big heart.

He heard her stir a little just as they were pulling up in front of the motel. He grabbed a parking spot and circled to the other side of the car. "Can you stand?" he asked, but Nyxia gave him no reply, just a small grunt. She still seemed completely out of it.

And for once, he was totally okay with carrying her just a little bit further.

He booked a room at the window before he would grab Nyxia from the car seat. The clerk working the counter even got the door for him.

"She okay?" he asked.

"She'll be fine. Just the flu." Gladio excused himself quickly.

Eventually, they were in a two-bed room, and he laid her down on the one closest to the window. Once he locked the door, he sat himself down, unsure of what else he could do to help her. Either way, they both needed a safe place to stay for the rest of the night. They had been through hell these past, several hours.

Nyxia looked more comfortable once she settled down on the bed, and eventually, he wasn't far behind in slumber.

Gladio didn't know what time it was when he woke up, but it was still dark. All he knew was that he had been stirred from sleep by an overwhelming, unexpected feeling down below. His eyes shot open as he groaned, and as he looked down, he couldn't believe that he was watching Nyxia's head bobbing up and down on his cock. What was she doing!?

That was a stupid question. _Why_ was she doing it!? He wasn't complaining, by any means, but last he had set eyes on her, she was completely lethargic. Now, she was sucking him off, and damnit, it felt good...

"Nyxia," he muttered, gritting his teeth. "What's gotten into you?"

He probably shouldn't have said a word. Now she was going to have to answer, which meant she was going to have to stop.

She lifted her head up, and that familiar gleam in her eyes shone as she looked down at him. "I...thought you might have wanted this."

Gladio couldn't deny it. At this moment in time, he wanted this more than anything. He just hadn't expected her to take such initiative. "You know I do."

She crawled over him, still fully clothed as her knees straddled him. He wasn't sure he felt comfortable with her on top of him. It was as if it didn't feel quite right. Ever since that one night, he realized he enjoyed it so much more when he was in charge. He elicited a lusty growl as he pushed his upper body up, forcing her to fall onto her back. He repositioned her with a firm yank on her ankles. She showed approval with a sly smile. "Are we going to pretend this didn't happen, either?"

Yeah, that didn't work out so well last time, did it? He had been ashamed then, though it wasn't anything that had to do with her. It was all him. He took off because he didn't want to face any awkwardness that might be present when they returned to Curia and its king - Nyxia's father.

Yet, when it all boiled down to it, he just couldn't keep his hands off of her. The reminder from the strange woman in the dungeon did not help matters.

"Not a chance."

His hands slid up to her waist and further, taking with them the fabric of her top until it was removed completely. He reveled in the sight of her as she arched her body beneath him. She could put Shiva to shame. He leaned in, tasting the salty skin of her breasts. With less anger built up inside of him, he was actually able to take the time to appreciate her body. It even still retained heat from being exposed to the volcano's activity. She almost felt feverish - or maybe it could have been just her body responding to its pleasure.

He stripped of her pants with ease, and he used his tongue to tease the shaven mound of her sex. He couldn't get the demon witch's words out of his head. He bet Nyxia did taste sweet.

Just a little lower, and he heard a soft gasp emit from her. It sounded erotic, and though his member reacted strongly to it, he focused on the sweet nectar that she excreted, and he quickly realized he just couldn't get enough. Gladio grabbed hard at her hips, drinking from her like a man who just found an oasis after days of traveling the desert.

Then, beneath her delightful moans, he heard an odd sound - like water running. He opened his eyes to find out she was not on the bed; in fact, she was nowhere in the room.

And he was lying back in his pillow.

The whole thing was a fucking dream.

The sound of the water still running assured him that she was taking a shower, and that only triggered his lust all the more. He could take advantage of the situation, or he could show restraint and take the higher road. He sat up, focusing on his consciousness to make sure he was actually awake. Once he was sure, he got up, quietly pacing to the bathroom door. It was slightly ajar, letting in a small sliver of light and steam into the room.

Screw it. Literally. His clothes were discarded to the floor before he would step into the humid room, but he paid no mind in trying to be subtle about it. After all, the shower stall was veiled by nothing more than foggy glass, so it probably wouldn't have taken her long to detect him.

"I think I'm ready to take you up on that offer now," he said huskily. He saw her head turn. Though the side of her body was blurred and distorted through the glass, his cock still reacted strongly to it, hard as steel and damn near aching.

"Are you sure?" she asked. He pulled open the door, wasting no more time and joining her in the stand-in shower.

"Do you really need to ask?" he answered with a fiendish look in his eyes. The water rained down on both of them now as he lifted her up against the ceramic wall. Damn the consequences. He was going to get what he wanted, and he could tell she wanted it, too. It was a win-win situation.

At least this time, he knew it was the real deal.

They didn't stay in the shower for very long. It just got too hot, and the floor was just too slick to keep his traction. They had already finished round 1 and speedily cleaned up before he dropped her down on the mattress. The moment she landed, he drove his face between her legs, answered with a moan of surprise from her. Her chest swelled through a gasp, and he couldn't help but grab hold, his hand needing to roam the length of her wet body.

It wasn't nearly sticky enough to be compared to honey. Gladio preferred saying it was closer to ambrosia. It was addictive, and like any food of the gods, it was forbidden.

Finally, he pulled away only when he realized he needed to catch his breath. Nyxia lifted her head, giving him a look of absolute exasperation.

"You can't stop... Not now..."

With a wolfish smirk, he licked the excess juice from his bottom lip. "I was hoping you'd ask a bit more nicely."

"Are you kidding me?" she groaned. "Fine. _Please_ , don't stop." The frustration in her voice was comical, to the point that Gladio wanted to draw it out just a bit more to see how far she would go.

"Not so sure I'm feeling it," he teased. He could tell he was pissing her off. Good. It might take things up a notch.

"Damnit, you _jerk_ ," Nyxia growled, and with unexpected force, she pulled herself up and threw him down. In a pulseless instant, she was on top of him, and in two seconds more, he was recapturing the advantage and rolling her over onto her back again.

"Mm, nice try," he purred, his inhuman strength holding down her arms to prevent her from a comeback. "I'll give you an E for effort."

"Gladio, please," she whined. "I'll buy you all the Cup Noodles you want, just please let me come..." A little better, and as tempting as that deal sounded, he had high confidence in her.

"I think you can do a little bit better..." He rubbed his thumb slowly over her clit, eliciting a rich moan. He wouldn't leave her hanging forever. In fact, he wanted to hear her beg just so be could ensure her satisfaction. That, and he thoroughly enjoyed having that influence on her.

Her body struggled a bit beneath him, until finally, she went limp, giving him stare that looked scrutinizing. "I saved your life, Gladio. Twice. You owe me this much."

He gave her a pondering look. He hadn't expected that, but perhaps she did make a fair argument. He'd get her to feel helpless another time. "Good enough for me," he finalized, and he sank down between her thighs to finish the job.


	19. A Change of Plans

Ignis never cared for hot weather. Although Lestallum was full of sights, sounds, and smells that were intriguing to him, he absolutely detested the heat in the air. However, he would have done just about anything and ventured just about anywhere to find her.

Evelina. She was a secret he had kept hidden from his friends for weeks now. Granted, he had never actually met her, but he knew what she looked like, and her passion for all things culinary was what grabbed him. She had submitted numerous recipes of her own to one of the several food channels he watched, and a couple of times, he had watched her prepare some elegant dishes on television, one of which he had made and fell madly for. It took him some time to find the means to contact her, but when he did, she was happy to share her ideas with him. They became pen pals for a little while, sharing one another's recipes, and soon after, managed to schedule a day where they could meet in person.

Ignis never felt so giddy about meeting a woman before. He usually was so engrossed in his tasks as an adviser and cook for his companions, that he hardly ever thought about his own interests. Prompto always did say he needed to meet a girl. Maybe it was time to take that to heart.

He stood by a fruit kiosk in the marketplace, the sun beating down on the top of his head. Adjusting his glasses over the bridge of his nose, he kept an eye out for her. She had bright, orange hair - like a phoenix down. There was no way he could miss her. His search was interrupted then as his phone vibrated in his pocket. His heart jumped a bit. Was she here? Hopefully, something didn't come up to keep her from seeing him. However, he calmed himself as he saw the caller ID indicate that it wasn't Evelina at all. Nyxia was calling. It had been a few days since they parted ways from the palace.

Holding the device to his ear, he spoke. "Hello, Nyxia."

"Hey, Ignis, I hope I'm not bothering you."

He smiled, shaking his head a bit. "Certainly not." He never considered her a bother, unlike Gladio, who seemed to find every excuse to complain about her. She had done a lot for him. After all, had it not been for Nyxia, Ignis would still have been blind. He had made the ultimate sacrifice to help save Noctis. The Ring of the Lucii was never meant for him to bear, but in an encounter with Ardyn, he had to do what was necessary. He had anticipated being blind for the rest of his life, but Nyxia's magic was able to even that of the ring. Granted, it made her sick for a couple of days...

He owed her immensely, and helping her retrieve the gem really was only a small amount paid. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, no, not necessarily. I just wanted to ask you something, or if you might be able to do some extensive research when you find some free time?"

"Anything you need, Nyxia. What do you want to know?"

"I'm looking for some information on an individual named Vess."

Ignis took a moment to think. He had never heard the name, but it did sound ominous. He would remind himself to look into it later on. "I'll see what I can dig up. If I find anything, I will inform you-"

On the other end of the line, there was a lot of noise. He couldn't distinguish it, but it sounded like the phone had been dropped. Numerous times. He would have narrowed it down to a bad reception had he not heard the screaming.

"Nyxia?" he panicked. He hated not knowing what was happening. "Are you there?"

"IGNIIIS! THEY'RE HERE!" Her voice sounded far away, as if she was being dragged away from the phone. Ignis understood immediately that she was in danger.

"They...?" Had the Necromancers found her? He took no time to dawdle. He wouldn't be able to get to her. He didn't even know where she was, but he would be able to find out. Forgetting his original mission of location a pretty chef, he speed-dialed Prompto.

"Ignis! Hey, buddy!"

"Prompto, listen carefully. Nyxia is in peril."

"Nyxia? But...I just got off the phone with her. Are you sure?"

"Positive. Prompto, did she tell you where she might have gone?"

"She said that she and Gladio were in Ravatogh last night. She didn't say where they went after, though..."

Gladiolus was with her? That most definitely wasn't what Ignis was expecting, but that was good news. "Then, he's probably closer to her than we are. Nonetheless, can you locate Rubia?"

"I think I can. What will you do?"

"Have her take you to Nyxia. I'll head towards Ravatogh and see if we can't cover extra ground."

"What about your meeting?"

"I..." he sighed in defeat. "I'll have to reschedule. Right now, a princess needs our help, yet again."

"I'm on it." With that, Prompto hung up, and Ignis would make one more call. He didn't want to be the one to cancel this rendezvous, but he knew there would be other chances. He called up Evelina, though as it rang and rang, he felt more and more guilty about calling this off. He was forced to leave a voicemail once the series of rings finally stopped. He'd have to keep it brief without giving away information that he was actually a guardian for the Princess of Curia. It was his...sister. Yes. He'd go with that.

Soon, he was taking the rental car back in the direction of Curia. If anything, he would try to meet up with Prompto. He just hope that they wouldn't be too late.


	20. Follow the Scent

In a panic, Prompto took no time at all to get himself dressed and out the door of his apartment. As a matter of fact, all he really had to do was throw on his vest. He hadn't even taken a moment to save the recent progress on his game. By now, it was the furthest thing from his mind.

Rubia couldn't be far from the palace, right? He had to find the Carbuncle before they had any luck in finding Nyxia. For all he knew, whatever took her might have already been far from Ravatogh.

Prompto, who had acquired his own set of wheels since the end of the Starscourge, hopped onto a cobalt-blue motorcycle outside of the apartment complex. Funny, how he was not at all comfortable driving anything with more than two wheels, but he couldn't explain why this was different to him. It was almost his baby, second to his camera, which was pocketed on the inside of his jacket. Though he was all about taking his time to find a good photo op, right now, he was bound and determined to find Rubia.

He wondered... How were Gladio and Xia not at each other's throats out there in Ravatogh? Why didn't she call for backup when she found out he was in trouble?

It was probably a ten-minute ride to the gate of the palace. It might have been a little less, had he memorized the layout of the city a little better. Ever since the fall of Insomnia, he had moved out to Curia. Wanted to start anew. While the former King Regis had made many alliances, even with the royal family of Chantieri, he knew he would still somehow live a life very similar to what he had before. After all, the alliance ultimately transferred Gladio to being The Shield for the princess when Noctis was, well, gone...

Prompto and Ignis simply followed suit.

What were they going to do? Retire?

He supposed he could have moved on to bigger and better things. Maybe pursue his passion for photography. Yet, in the long run, there was something just too nostalgic about roughing it with the other guys to pass up. Not to mention, he liked Nyxia.

He _really_ liked Nyxia...

Soon, against a dull sky, he could spot a bright, red figure jumping up onto the rail of a balcony. She seemed to be on the lookout for something. Now that he thought about it, that might actually be a perfect opportunity for a picture. Prompto readied the camera and took a series of quick shots. It seemed to catch the Carbuncle's attention before she hopped gracefully towards him, though she appeared to be in a bit of a hurry.

"You heard she's in trouble, too?"

Rubia mewed, looking highly tormented, like a dog who had been abandoned by her owner for days.

"Don't worry. We'll find her."

However, Rubia bounded away from him and around the corner of the building. In confusion, he followed, wondering where she might have run off to. Was she trying to lead him somewhere? Prompto pocketed his camera and hurried after her, though as he came around the same corner, she was nowhere to be seen.

This was very strange behavior, coming from the Carbuncle. She acted as if she was trying to get away from him. Concerned, perhaps even a little alarmed, Prompto returned to the motorbike and headed further down the street. Riding in the direction of the palace, he could only assume that was the direction she was headed until he spotted her again.

Another couple of minutes, he was then parked at the bottom of the short steps, between two, tall fountains. For late morning, the place was oddly quiet. Further past the fountains were two walkways where a guard would usually tread. Today, no one was in sight.

Something didn't seem quite right. Prompto anxiously dismounted his two-wheeler and propped the kickstand. Even the birds were oddly silent. Nyxia's mother, Natalia, was always fond of feeding them. Prompto had only met her once, as she oftentimes traveled, but Natalia was nothing like the daughter she had raised. She acted like a traditional queen ought to. Xia, on the other hand... Well, she was a bit of a wild child, and she was known to be a tad temperamental.

...Not so different from Noctis, the more he thought about it. Had he not already been such good friends with the both of them, he would have almost mistaken them for brother and sister.

He carefully made his way inside. No one seemed to be around; it was as if the palace was abandoned. As he came into the main foyer, there were five possible paths he could take. There was a path on his left to what appeared to be a study room and a path straight ahead into the throne room. The path to the right was more familiar to him. He had been that way once before. There were also two sets of stairs on either side of him that would take him to the second floor.

Everything seemed to be intact. The furnishings were all in place, such as the ornate, console tables of ivory-white and the red chairs against the walls. It was just as if everyone simply disappeared.

"Or," he muttered to himself, "everyone is in a meeting."

A wisping sound stirred from across the room, though his blueish eyes seemed to miss what it was. Nonetheless, he was certain it was Rubia. Walking as noiselessly as he could manage across the red, floral-printed carpet, he crossed into the dining room. No one was here, either. He entered the next room - the one where they had met with Cingarus and made the exchange with the Gem.

The fireplace still appeared to have a few, low embers in it, but was dying out. Prompto deduced that it had at least been recently used.

Again, the Carbuncle could be heard, but it was back in the main hall. Agitated, Prompto returned to the first chamber. Had she gone up the stairs? Treading up the scales of crimson cloth, he remained quiet. Although, he admitted that would be more of a challenge now, as the floor up here was hardwood flooring. None of the hanging chandeliers were on in the hallways, though he could still navigate just fine with the dreary daylight outside. Arched windows adorned across every outer wall in this building, after all. Thank the Six he hadn't thought to make this visit at night.

He started for the right, and as he rounded the corner, he thought for sure he saw the bright red of Rubia's tail go into one of the rooms. He followed, and though he wanted to call out to her, he didn't want Cingarus or one of his guards to catch him. After all, he really wasn't even supposed to be here.

As he came into the room, the ruby-red curtains were open, dimly revealing the room to be a bedchamber. The windows lined across three of the walls. Prompto had actually counted fourteen of them! A four-poster bed with a bench at the foot sat against the right wall. Beside the bed and propped up against the wall was a large, instrument case. Prompto was pretty sure it was meant to hold a cello.

Nyxia played the cello, didn't she? He never heard her play it, but he always imagined she was good at it. He always imagined she was great at anything she did, especially as a hobby.

He smiled faintly, reaching out to touch the case. However, before he could observe much else in the room, the air got a lot darker. The curtains over the large number of windows had been drawn shut, seemingly on their own. Panicked, he went for his guns, though he was beginning to think he might be overdoing it. It was a security protocol. They knew he was here.

Then, behind him, the door slammed shut. Prompto spun to face it in a panic, guns lowering slightly when he still saw no one was in the room.

But behind him, a bemused voice chuckled at him. "Well, well, well... Long time, no see, _friend_."

No way. It couldn't be...

Prompto once again pivoted to face his pursuer, but before he could finish his 180-degree turn, he fell limp.

And all was dark.


	21. When the Past Comes Back to Haunt You

(I would probably recommend you guys read my _Eternal Dark_ side story, if you're interested in learning more about Nyxia's past. Definitely not required, but some things in the following chapters might make more sense. Enjoy!)

 _"So, when did Rubia first come to you?"_

 _It_ _wasn't a question she had been ready for, but somehow, she felt as if she could open up to Prompto. After all, it was just the two of them, sitting by the fountain in the garden behind the palace. It wasn't as if anyone else was here to judge her._

 _"Well, it really wasn't that long ago." Nyxia folded her hands in her lap, unsure of how much she should elaborate. "Maybe about four years or so... Not too long before the Starscourge was coming to an end."_

 _"What happened?" Prompto asked genuinely._

 _She_ _was quiet now. Rubia had always been a good friend to her, but the circumstances were less to be desired. Suddenly, she just choked. Prompto, too, had been a good friend to her for a long time now, and she thought she'd be able to just...say it._

 _"I don't really want to..." she murmured, looking down. She just shut down._

 _Instantly_ _, Prompto gave her an apologetic frown. "Did someone hurt you? Who do I need to cut?" He then punched his fist into the palm of his other hand._

 _He was trying to make light of the situation, and Nyxia understood that. It just wasn't an easy memory to swallow._

 _"Sorry, Prompto... It's just really complicated."_

 _"It's okay," he sighed, his smile understanding. "You don't have to tell me."_

 _"It's just that... it really isn't important now. The person that hurt me... let's just say... he's gone now."_

 _She_ _left it at that. Prompto could be a big goof, but she knew he wasn't dumb enough to buy into the whole "bad boyfriend" story. Still, he didn't push the issue. Since then, it never came back up._

Nyxia had never thought her past would come back to haunt her. As she came to, however, she was beginning to realize how wrong she was.

"Ah, and there she is!" The voice came from behind her. She would have turned around, but it took a couple of seconds longer to notice that she was bound to an armchair.

She was in one of the lounges of the palace, on the third floor.

She screamed for help, but soon was interrupted by a sharp pain in the back of her head as her hair was yanked back. "Hush, now. We wouldn't want daddy dearest to hear you." Then, there came a low, wicked laugh that only made her stomach tighten, as if she wanted to be sick. "Then again, they probably won't hear you. They're all comatose in their little, meeting room. So, by all means, scream away." Long fingers now combed through her hair. "I think I recall you having a particularly healthy set of pipes."

"Ardyn..." Her fists clenched, though little movement was permitted to them otherwise. They were tightly roped to the wooden arms, and it was the only thing she could do to get her blood to circulate. "Thought you were dead."

"Oh, believe me. I thought I was, too. I suppose in the end, I have you to thank." The man circled around to the front of the chair, and she saw he still dressed in the same style of garb as he always had. Same, violet hair, same charming, amber eyes. Fucking bastard. Why was he here, and why wouldn't he just leave her alone? "But, as it turns out, I have unfinished business."

Nyxia couldn't believe she had been such a fool. Somehow, locating the Gem of Tenebra had allowed him to get his grubby hands on it. He tricked her, but... how?

"You had your ten years of fame. Was that not enough for you?"

"Nyxia..." Ardyn seemed to feign disappointment now. "I thought you would have been happy to see me. We used to be quite close. You remember, don't you?"

The girl jerked in her binds. She didn't want to think about it. Ardyn had been a man of charisma, and when Eternal Darkness took Eos, he had played the primary role in steering the whole thing. Of course, she didn't know that until it was too late. She had read so much on prophecies and magicks, that he had been sneakily using her to obtain knowledge on how one could be resurrected, should his soul pass on to purgatory.

"Stop..." She growled under her breath.

"What a gift. I knew you'd find it sooner or later. Thankfully, sooner than later. I was beginning to worry our prophesized king might have gotten to me first." Behind him stirred a flash of bright red, and Nyxia gasped out.

"Rubia! Help!"

"Ah, that's another dilemma all on its own, isn't it." Ardyn looked down at the Carbuncle, though as he did, the creature's color began to change color, fading significantly darker until it was pure black.

"She came to you because I willed it to be so. Your protections as you went on your hunt for the gem." A cough sounded behind Nyxia now, and Ardyn lifted his head. "Oh, and I almost forgot. We have company." With one hand, he swung her chair around to face the other direction, and she felt her stomach tighten.

Prompto was in the same situation, it appeared, bound and just now coming into consciousness. He spotted her, too. "Ardyn... You get away from Xia!"

"Prompto, no..." she whimpered.

"Aw, but Nyxia and I have so much catching up to do." Ardyn's fingers tangled into her hair again, mocking the both of them. "After all, it's all thanks to her that I'm standing here."

"What are you talking about?"

"Perhaps she should be the one to tell you."

Prompto gave her an inquisitive, though hazy look. Nyxia felt the guilt from her past crawling up on her. There was a reason she never wanted to talk about how Rubia came to her. She had always believed she was her guardian after Ardyn had tormented her the way he did. In the end, she was a daemon that was most loyal to him, not a guardian of any kind.

"It was Rubia that brought the gem to you, wasn't it?" Nyxia asked.

"Right you are." Ardyn sounded oddly enthusiastic. It was a very clever disguise. "Everything she knew, she shared with me. The moment I had a rouse to get you out of the palace, the Gem was as good as mine. And so quick you were to gallop to Gladio's rescue, too."

"Gladio is my friend. Of course I had to help him. And you tricked me..."

"Friend?" Ardyn returned. Instantly, Nyxia realized he knew more than he was letting on. No. Please, don't bring it up... "I'm quite sure you two are much closer than friends." His hands found her shoulders, squeezing them firmly. "And I have to admit, I was a bit jealous. I thought we had something special, Nyxia."

Prompto's face was a little hard to read at first, but soon, Nyxia realized anger in his eyes - something she didn't see too often. He was wordlessly glaring at Ardyn, his fists clenching in their restraints.

Nyxia wished she could have told him sooner now... but not like this. Ardyn had pretended to be her friend. He secretly visited the palace to see her on a regular basis. They shared an immense amount of knowledge with each other about demonology, afterlife, sorcery, and so on...

He even protected her from the daemons that reigned Curia. They attacked the palace, and the struggle in her bedroom had left mostly everything within it destroyed. Had Ardyn not been there, she might not have survived that night.

For her twentieth birthday, he brought her a new, beautiful cello - one of a polished, black coat that had put the old one to shame. The wood was denser than usual, giving it a much richer sound. She treasured it, so much that she had to try it right then and there. She played it for him, and in the end, he played her just the same. It felt good at the time, once the brief pain had subsided.

He returned to her on a regular basis. The relationship they had, or whatever one would call it, was intoxicating. They couldn't keep their hands off of each other.

Nyxia found herself in need of a distraction when Ardyn wasn't around. So, she hunted demons. She met with other hunters at times, even met Prompto Argentum during those travels. They occasionally found opportunities to team up on hunts and were practically best pals ever since.

Then, about a year in, she found out the monster Ardyn really was. He discovered what she had been up to. Not that Nyxia ever thought killing daemons would have made her lover angry. Something about her association with Prompto infuriated him, though he had made it clear at the time it had nothing to do with jealousy.

 _"Even with the Chosen King gone, his retainers for friends still can't seem to lie low, can they?" He paced Nyxia's bedroom. It made her incredibly nervous, that she stepped back. "And you side with **them**."_

 _"Side with them?" she stuttered. "What are you-" He turned to look at her, and Nyxia gasped. His face...it was completely terrifying... She knew it then that he was corrupted, and his behavior suggested that he was The Accursed that the prophecy spoke of. Before she could flee the room or cry for help, he practically tore her to pieces. He shredded her clothes. He raped her. He choked her by the neck until she was close to blacking out._

And _then, he left her there - betrayed, beaten, bloodied, and broken._ _Shortly after, Rubia had come to comfort her. It never dawned on her that the carbuncle wasn't what she appeared to be._

"No, we didn't." Nyxia finally spoke in denial, but her confidence was gone. She didn't want to admit any of that had ever happened. That she had assisted him in returning to Eos and bringing back the darkness. She had truly thought that he wouldn't return, and hoped that somehow, the information she had given him was wrong.

"Seems she's quite good at telling lies, isn't that right, Prompto?"

"Shut it! I know what you're trying to do, Ardyn!"

"He's right..." Nyxia finally choked. Prompto gave her a look of disbelief.

She swore she had heard Ignis's voice from the stairs. She stopped, but her friend's pleading eyes weakened her determination to keep quiet.

"Well now, this should prove very interesting," Ardyn chuckled. "Go on, Nyxia. Take me down memory lane."

"I...I never thought it would come back to haunt me. I hunted for the gem well before you guys came along. I knew who Ardyn was, but I never knew _what_ he was..."

Suddenly, a broadsword came flying through the room at Ardyn. With a wave of his hand, the giant blade was deflected only to fall to the ground and at his feet.

 _Gladio_... Damnit. This was the worst time for him to come to her rescue.

"You're supposed to be rotting in hell!" he sneered.

"Well, well... Things _did_ get interesting," Ardyn said casually. "It's been a while, old friends."

"Prompto!" Ignis bolted forward towards the chair, but as the sword was elevated to aim at him, keeping him from stepping any further, Ardyn addressed him.

"Last I saw you, you were a blind fool. I see you've improved. Prompto had himself a shave, and Gladio... well, you haven't aged a day."

"What is it you want?" Ignis insisted.

"To see your faces, of course... when your princess tells you why she's the reason these next nights will be getting longer and longer. And there's no Noct to fill your prophecy now, is there?"

"Ardyn, this wasn't the man I knew five years ago..." Nyxia said quietly. "Why are you doing this?"

"Haven't you realized it by now? I warned you from the beginning I was a bad, bad man. You chose to believe that an imperial chancellor could turn himself around, and all on the grounds of love."

"WHAT!?" Gladio exclaimed, and Nyxia felt herself cringe. It sounded foolish now, but back then...

"Oh, don't be too hard on her, Gladio. She was young and naive..."

"We're overlooking the big picture," Ignis stated. "The Gem brought him back somehow... Is that why the scourge is returning?"

"A small price to pay, I can assure you."

"You son of a bitch!"

Nyxia knew Gladio wouldn't be able to control himself. He charged at Ardyn with an angry yell, swooping down to recollect his sword and take a swing at him. Nyxia turned her head away and tightly squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't bring herself to see what might happen.

Ardyn died once before. And despite the pain she had endured because of him, she still cried. There was still a lot of hurt to follow it.

Yet, the maniacal laughter that rang through the air left Nyxia shuddering in discomfort. As she looked back to the feud, Ardyn was outstretching his hand. Gladiolus looked to be frozen in place, and then, he fell to the ground.

Ignis remained put, as he seemed to know he would probably be next. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. "Nyxia, you have a role to play in this?"

"I...shared what I knew about the Gem... what it was capable of." Nyxia dropped her head, her stomach tight with self-disgust. "I didn't know, Ignis. I'm sorry..."

Ignis strained a sigh. "I understand. Do not cast blame on yourself. Ardyn is the one who corrupted you."

"She may never admit it, but she enjoyed every bit of it."

"SHUT UP!" Prompto alarmed all of them as he hollered, and to their surprise, he had managed to tear away from the binds that held his arms down. Nyxia had never seen such strength coming out of him before. He went for the gun sitting on the nearby table, but as he aimed for Ardyn, a flash of movement flew in front of him to take it away.

Rubia sprinted to the far side of the room with the pistol in her mouth. Ardyn merely watched in amusement as she suddenly transformed, and red smoke surrounded the false carbuncle. Once it cleared, the familiar figure of a winged, red-haired woman stood in its place.

It was the succubus from the ruins.

In utter disbelief, Nyxia squirmed against her restraints. Rubia was a lie all of this time. She was just another daemon able to put on a clever disguise.

"Rubia, if you could please, take these gentlemen to the meeting room. Allow them to join the others."

She wordlessly bowed, and with great ease, cast a spell to render Ignis and Prompto unconscious.

"No!" Nyxia cried out, and she felt anger filling up within. "Ardyn, you bastard!"

"The two of us have some catching up to do," he purred as he walked up to her, leaning down and taking her chin gently. However, as he touched her, something surged from her - a powerful magic that threw him away from her, like an explosion. He was thrown into the wall, but after that, Nyxia was far too tired to even acknowledge his smugness. It hardly even effected him.


	22. The Accursed

Such a shame that such a beautiful creature had undergone so much. A lot of it was all thanks to Ardyn Izunia. He had stumbled across her by chance - at least, that's what he would insist - approximately eight years into the Starscourge. Learning of her determination to find a certain _Gem,_ he had made it a priority to make her an ally.

Ultimately, however, she turned out to be more than what he had bargained for.

Ardyn hadn't known what love felt like for many centuries. In fact, the only love he ever knew was before he had succumbed to the curse. Nyxia didn't remind him of that first love, but she was unfaltering on her trust that he was a good man, yet she never knew the extent of his wickedness.

Not until it was too late.

Not until he had discovered she had taken arms with a certain, gun boy. Granted, he understood their friendship to be only that, and that Nyxia only ever loved her twisted, imperial chancellor, but... something snapped within him. A pure, unadulterated hatred. The _king_ and his friends still tormented him even when Noctis was lost within The Crystal for years.

Prompto and Nyxia being daemon-hunting companions made Ardyn feel...well, _betrayed_. Because of that, he had broken her. Perhaps it was less selfish than some might have expected, in the long run. He felt remorse after he had left her beaten and raped, but in the end, perhaps it was best that she hated him.

Maybe if he met his end by the hands of the _Chosen King,_ she would hurt less.

And yet, as he awaited Noctis in purgatory, Ardyn came to realize he wasn't ready for his eternal rest. That was why he had sent his good friend, Rubia, to collect the gem - a potential tool for resurrection.

The nights would gradually lengthen once more, just as they did years ago. For that, he had the princess to thank.

Undoubtedly, he was going to have a hell of a fun time rubbing that in. And after he tore a big, gaping chasm between Nyxia and Gladiolus, he had every intention of taking back what was his.

First thing was first: Tell them the truth, and he had. Nyxia technically brought about Eos's doom, knowing the price of using the Gem. Though she had every intention of destroying it, she shared too much information with a man she shouldn't have trusted.

Of course, everyone would have anticipated he couldn't come back. After he damaged Nyxia, he knew his raven-haired vixen would deny him resurrection. Rubia was simply his backup plan to ensure his return.

Rubia took many forms. Like Ardyn, she was capable of disguising herself however she needed. Her true form was that of a succubus - a winged beauty who had done well to get him the information he needed on Nyxia and company. However, she had momentarily taken things into her own hands for the sake of amusement, and it was _not_ amusing to The Accursed when he found out she was toying with Nyxia and her new _lover_.

Gladiolus Amicitia. As if the company couldn't hit him any lower, he had wooed Nyxia, but not without treating her like scum prior to.

She deserved better, and as far as he was concerned, even a daemonic, imperial chancellor had to be better than that brawny hound.

And so, as he sat and watched her do literally nothing, bound to a wooden chair and unconscious from the exhausting use of that spell, Ardyn was carefully plotting what his next words would be to her. After all, they had a lot to catch up on after almost five years.

They were alone now, after all. He could easily choose to do _anything_ he wanted.

Finally, he heard her groan a bit. She was coming back to, which filled him with more anticipation than was likely necessary.

"Will you behave now?"

Nyxia shifted in the chair, and it seemed as though she still hadn't fully recovered. She looked completely spent and vulnerable. She also possessed that stubborn look in her eyes that suggested she wasn't going to answer him.

"Hm, that's too bad."

He hooked his foot around the leg of the chair, pulling her closer to him. For five years, he had wondered what she truly thought of him. Why was she not giving him everything she had? Was there still a hint of compassion inside of her?

"Did you shed any tears when you discovered my demise?" he asked her. Her eyes shifted nervously away from him. For a man who had lived for over two-thousand years, he considered himself an expert at reading facial expressions by now. He couldn't have been more accurate.

"Aw... My dear, there's no need to mourn over me. After all, you made me a promise. If I were to die, you would use the Gem to revive me. Do you remember making that promise?"

He remembered it well. It was the same time when she had confessed her love for him. How could he possibly forget?

She loved him, utterly and truly. And even after all of this time, after her being attached at the hip to her friends, he was still mad about her.

He growled, snatching her by the back of her neck. The gasp that elicited from her caused him to stir in excitement. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

He knew these words might stir her. In an episode of passion, she had said the same words to him, when he pretended he would deny her pleasure. Of course, Ardyn considered himself a gentleman, and as he stressed to her that night, he always kept his promises.

She, however, did not.

"Don't...touch me..."

Her voice strained for strength, but he knew better. "Is that _really_ what you want?" His other hand brushed over her knee and upwards, and he felt her flinch. That was more like it. He knew after all this time, he could get through to her. "We made a splendid team, once upon a time. Nothing says you can't leave them. Come back to me." Nyxia shook her head firmly. She was trying so hard to keep her confidence. "We both have our daemons. We can embrace them together. Curia and Lucis... They could both be ours."

"Don't be ridiculous. I would never join you... " He interrupted her as his hand made its way between her legs, his thumb caressing through the black leather. She gasped, leaning back her head. The sound was absolutely intoxicating, and the look on her beautiful face... It would have even made the gods lustful.

"You were mine once. You loved me unconditionally. Is there no trace of that left?"

Her body squirmed, and a soft whisper sounded through a moan that practically made his mouth water. "Ardyn..."

"It's just as I thought." Content, he continued caressing her. "Say it again." She gave him a look of alarm, one that said she had no intentions of giving him that satisfaction. He swiftly tore open the leather, every button popping off from the force. Again, his fingers returned, but this time, directly onto the flesh. It came as no surprise that she was silky-wet.

"I said... _say it again._ " His fingers made oscillations, but she was still fighting from within. He might have expected another wave of magic to push him away, had she not looked so defeated. Yet, the moment he slid a pair of fingers into her, her resolve broke., and she moaned again.

" _Ardyn_..."

Ah. A small reward for those two-thousand years endured.

"That's much better." He pulled away from her, juices coating his index and middle fingers. It had been a long, long time since he had the privilege of tasting her before fucking her. Yet, there was still the sour topic of someone else partaking in those pleasures while he was absent.

He grabbed her forcefully by her face, leaving the remnants of her sex on her cheek. "We have a long drive back home."

"Home?" she repeated.

"Yes. What better place than where it all began?" From thin air, he summoned a dagger. Even now, the abilities of his Caelum heritage remained. Funny, how all this time, Nyxia still didn't learn this secret of him.

The blade was used to cut her free from her restraints. However, as soon as he had let her go, he realized he had underestimated her cleverness. He staggered back as she threw the chair at him, taking that moment to tear her way out of the room.

His concentration had shattered. No doubt, everyone would be breaking out of their comas down below. But that was all well and good.

He had another idea.


	23. Nothing Left

Nyxia stumbled out of the room, her exit a lot less graceful than she would have hoped. It took everything she had to leave that room. He played her like a deck of cards, and he did so like a pro.

The mistakes of her past were creeping up on her, and what worse, her friends probably hated her for what they had discovered. She had to find them. She had to get everyone out of here before Ardyn did something else to jeopardize everything.

She hurried down the stairs, using her jacket to cover up her wardrobe malfunction as best as she could. She didn't even look back, but her destination was the meeting room. As she bursted through the doors, the room was lot by a roaring fireplace, but no one seemed to be in there. She panicked, unsure of where everyone might have run to so quickly.

Nyxia turned back to the door, and as she did, she nearly jumped out of her skin as Cingarus hurried in after her.

"Nyxia! You're safe!"

"Dad... I'm sorry... this is all my fault..."

"No, my dear... It has nothing to do with you. You did not create an evil creature like him."

"Your Majesty!" she heard Ignis from the hallway, and as they both came out onto the crimson carpet, he stopped by them. "Good, the both of you are safe."

"Ignis, where's Prompto and Gladio?"

"I haven't set eyes on them since I regained consciousness."

"What about Rubia?"

"Nor have I seen her. I'm sorry. I'm willing to guarantee she is long gone."

"Rubia?" Cingarus inquired. "Why would she not be here?"

"I'm sorry, dad... Turns out Rubia is not what we thought she was..."

He gave her a confused look, but before he could make an inquiry, footsteps came around the corner, heavy and fast.

Gladiolus and Prompto came into the hall, though as soon as Gladio saw her, a furious look seemed to take over his face. As if he absolutely hated her.

"Gladio, we can talk, right..?"

"I trusted you. We _all_ trusted you! It would have been nice if you had told us about this from the beginning!"

"Gladio, he was dead! I didn't think it mattered--"

"You didn't think at all, Nyxia. You said you knew who he was, and you still fucked him!?"

Nyxia took a step back, not even wanting to know what her father was thinking right now. "Gladio, please, calm down..."

"This isn't helping!" Ignis insisted. "Gladio, stand down!"

"No matter what my daughter has done, it's not her fault that Ardyn chose to--"

"That's enough out of you, old man." Gladiolus drew his sword. "Your daughter is nothing more than a heartless slut."

"Gladio, you're taking this way too personally," Prompto muttered. "It's not like she's your girlfriend..."

"How blind can you all be!?" Gladio sneered at him. "I should have done this a long time ago." He charged at Nyxia, but before his sword could cut through her, his view was obstructed. Nyxia cried out as the giant blade tore through flesh of another.

 _"Father! NO!"_

"Gladio, how could you..."

The blade had pierced through Cingarus's heart, who had jumped in front of the attack. Nyxia caught him as he fell backwards, choking on sobs as she sank to the ground with him.

Gladiolus seemed emotionless about the mishap, then he turned away, walking around the corner and out of sight. Both Prompto and Ignis seemed conflicted as to whether to stop him or help Nyxia and her father.

"Prompto, help me lift him up." Ignis had made his decision, and with his friend's aid, carried the King of Curia onto the meeting room's table. Nyxia followed them in tears of panic. She had been a healer, and yet, she had no idea what to do.

Thankfully, Ignis had it under control. He used a potion, but somehow, it didn't seem to work. Nyxia wiped away her tears. She couldn't think clearly. She couldn't bare just standing here and doing nothing. Anger boiled up within her, and she speedily exited the room.

As the other two tried to heal the king, she returned to her own room. If there was one man she loved over anyone else in the world, it was her father. And Gladiolus had taken that away from her.

Blinded by fury and driven by a need for revenge, she located a scythe in her closet that she hadn't used for a long time. It was a blade that had been passed on to her on the day she turned twenty.

Since the end of the Starscourge, Nyxia had put it away. For her tastes, it had been a tad too messy and violent, but right now, that was exactly what she wanted.

After a change of clothes (she had slipped herself into a spandex pair of pants), she trailed after Gladio, hellbent on vengeance.

He had probably left the palace by now, and that was confirmed as she looked out one of the windows overlooking the gardens. It was nighttime, but he was easy to spot under the streetlights.

Her walk turned into a run, and she booked it for the infirmary, the quickest way outside. She didn't even say anything as she charged at him, though he managed to predict that she would be coming for him.

As the sickle came down towards his head, he turned quickly, blocking it with his sword. The sound of metal clashing against each other rang through the gardens.

"So, that's it, then?" he growled at her. "You're going to kill me just like that?"

"Why shouldn't I? You tried to kill me, and you struck _him_ instead!"

"It was an accident, and you know it!"

"And you're not even remotely sorry!?" Nyxia lunged forward with her blade, sending him back a bit. Tears in her eyes, she swung at him again.

Gladio dodged to the left, and then again to the right. She was blindly throwing about her blade without any real tactic. It was clear she was hurting...

Using his sword to knock the weapon out of her hand, he pointed it directly to her face, which was wet with tears.

"You kill me, you'll lose Ignis and Prompto, too." Then, he huffed. "Hmph. You probably already have. You might as well go back to your imperial chancellor while you're still standing."

Nyxia stood in shock, only able to watch as he walked away from her. He was right. Because of her poor decisions and not being honest about them, she had lost everything.

The Gem, her friends...

Everything.

She returned to the meeting room, her heart clenching like a fist in her chest as she saw her father had not gotten up from the table. In chairs, Prompto and Ignis sat, both looking defeated.

"I'm sorry, Nyxia... There was nothing more we could do." Ignis looked down, and neither of them could bring themselves to look at her.

She didn't stay in the room for very long. She didn't even say anything before she simply left. She only made a run for her bedroom as she cried, her vision blurred the entire way there.

Nyxia wanted more than anything to rewind time, to do things differently, but not even the most powerful of mages were capable of that.

What was done was done. Facing that on her own would take some time.


	24. Walk in the Shadows

Left with nowhere else to turn, Nyxia had sent out a text message straight to her mother, who was out in Tenebrae, helping those who had lost their homes during the last scourge. She wrote to her on a regular basis, but this time, the content would not be comforting and high in spirits. Instead, she had to tell her that King Cingarus had fallen, and that as soon as possible, Natalia would need to return home.

Queen Natalia was sure to be safe. After all, she was under the protection of Aranea Highwind since she had left Altissia for Tenebrae.

Nyxia only hoped she would hear from her soon. Curia would not last long without its royalty, and as of right now, Nyxia was not fit for that criteria.

She stood in the gardens, watching as the sun would start to rise. According to Ardyn, the days would begin to shorten, though Nyxia couldn't remember how long it took for the last Starscourge to consume the world completely.

She was quiet for the longest time, staring at the oranges and reds in the sky. Then, a voice stirred behind her.

"Xia...?"

It was Prompto. Nyxia winced slightly, looking over her shoulder. Where Ignis had gone to, she wasn't sure - she probably shouldn't ask, either.

"Yeah?"

"Is it true, what Ardyn said?"

Nyxia sighed, her stomach in knots. The worst part of all this was hurting Prompto; he was almost like her big brother.

"Every word," she said, turning to face him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Prompto shook his head a bit. "No, it's not that... I mean, hey... We all have our secrets, right?" He sighed, shifting his weight a little. "Except...I trusted you with mine, when I told you about the MT thing."

"I...I know." She couldn't imagine how hard it was for Prompto to come clean about his history as a child, being intended as a killing machine. He had been more comfort about telling her about it when the imperials had fallen, but still, he was right.

"So, you and Gladio. He was serious about that, too?"

"Uh...yeah..." Nyxia still couldn't believe Gladiolus had heartlessly walked off after stabbing Cingarus. She realized his true colors. He had been so blinded by jealousy and anger, he didn't care that he had just killed the Curian King.

"I... I'm sorry about what he did to your dad. I'm sure he didn't mean to..."

"No. He just meant to kill me instead."

"We'll find him, and we can talk some sense into him."

"I'll pass," Nyxia concluded. "Gladio has made it perfectly clear that he's better off without me. If I ever see him again...I can't promise I won't try to kill the bastard."

Prompto was silent for what seemed like the longest time. Maybe threatening one of his close friends wasn't the way to go.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean that..." She supposed that much was true. She never really wanted to kill anyone.

"Nah, it's cool. I get it." He gave her a sad sort of smile. Then, he came up to her, offering his hand out to shake. "If you need us for anything, shoot me a text, okay?"

Nyxia smiled sadly. "Thanks." Taking his hand and giving it a squeeze, she was reluctant to separate with her friend. Of the three, she had known him the longest.

As they parted ways, Nyxia returned to her room in silent dismay. By now, her cheeks had dried, but the guilt and the pain still lingered.

It wasn't until mid-day had come around that she had been stirred from a heavy slumber by the sound of her phone constantly vibrating. Nyxia lifted her face from the pillow, still lying on her front as she reached for the phone.

It was Orion, one of Natalia's guards that was accompanying her in Tenebrae.

"Lady Nyxia?"

"What is it, Orion?" she muttered tiredly into the phone, her voice clearly giving away her fatigue.

"Well, it's about Queen Natalia..." he said, then trailed off. "I'm so sorry... she was killed overnight during a daemon siege on Altissia. We found her body just an hour ago..."

Time seemed to stop completely. She couldn't even cry anymore. She almost felt numb.

"Nyxia? Are you there?" Orion asked.

Nyxia pressed the button to hang up. She needed some fresh air. Stepping out onto the balcony, Nyxia realized that the sun was already beginning to set. Had she slept in for that long? Or were the nights already getting longer? She leaned against the railing, her head fuzzy as she tried to take in, well, everything...

Cingarus was dead. Natalia was dead. Her friends had left her. Gladio, whatever he was, hated her with a passion. There really was no one else she could turn to.

"And so, it comes to this," came a silky voice behind her. It was undoubtedly Ardyn, who was here to rub in his victory. "You've lost everyone close to you. Who will you turn to?"

"I suppose you think I'm going to turn to you." She didn't even turn to look at him, just peering down at the deserted streets down below.

Where had everyone gone?

"And why would you not?" Ardyn asked. She heard his footsteps coming closer. "Your _friends_ have abandoned you. There is nothing left for you here."

He was right. Prompto very well might have been the only other person to have her back, and even then, that was a bit of a far stretch. He was still inclined to protect his brothers before her.

"Come with me to Insomnia. I will reclaim it, and Lucis and Curia will be allies. After all, you are queen."

Somehow, that hadn't exactly dawned on her until just now. Nyxia stared ahead at the darkening city, which was entirely hers now. Yet... its citizens...

"Queen of what, exactly? Everyone is gone..." She was pretty sure that was his doing, too.

"Then, you start anew. Build yourself a new kingdom from the ground up. I can help you." He purred against her ear, his body pressed against her back. "You do want a brighter future for Curia, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"Of course you do," Ardyn repeated. "Ever since I first met you, I knew you were willing to sacrifice _everything_ to save this world. If that's the case even now, then you'll find a way."

Ardyn was gone as soon as he had appeared. He always was good at coming out of nowhere and then vanishing without a trace.

She didn't understand what he meant. At least, not at first.

Nyxia did an excessive amount of Reflecting that night. Yet, what her ethereal guides came to show her was more than she could take.

There were no visions of a brighter future, but the nights remained everlasting. Still, life went on as it normally had, and the citizens of Curia were returned home.

She saw the Gem floating in black air, its blades shining in an unseen light. Its center jewel was a bright red now. Then, there was a flash of blood streaming down the top-most point.

Nyxia had to succumb to the darkness and let it take her. Ardyn had done the same over two-thousand years ago, though by a different tactic entirely. Ardyn Lucis Caelum, the first, Chosen King of Lucis... until his brother cast him out.

Well, that explained a lot.

What else was one to do when even fate rejected him?

Her Reflection was interrupted by a sharp pain in her chest, as if someone had dragged a blade down it. There was nothing there, but for a couple of moments longer, the burn remained. It was a sign of what she had to do...to use the Gem on herself. Just a cut, but one that would leave a different kind of scar...a gateway for daemons.

Nyxia sat on the bed. She couldn't believe she was actually contemplating this. But in all reality, what other choice was there?

All the support she had behind her to fight against the darkness was gone. Everyone around her had either died or walked out on her. She had no other hope than to just go forward.

Ardyn was very possibly the only person she had left. Even still, he was a dangerous and frightening creature, and he was very clearly insane.

Nyxia continued to Reflect for the next, few days. It was as if the rest of the world around her had ceased to exist as she did.

The Gem was transferred to Gralea and could not be destroyed, they told her, as it had resurrected a soul too powerful to reverse the effects of the scourge.

Conflicted, Nyxia stopped. The addictive drug that she had was the infectious disease claiming the rest of the world. A stronger woman would have tried to find another way, but all the studying she tried to do in the past never added up to this ultimatum. What else was she supposed to do, especially with no one behind her?


	25. A Queen's Struggle

"Look, princess. I'm sorry about your family. It sucks that you had to lose them both in one day." Aranea didn't normally sound this distressed, but as Nyxia sat in the chair with her phone to her ear, she shook her head.

"Thank you, but... that's not why I called. I have a favor to ask."

"Ask away."

"I need a way to get to Gralea... Is there any chance you could do that for me?

She could sense the reluctance from miles away, and she could imagine why. Aranea hadn't the best relationship with the imperial army and their life-like MTs. As fate would have it, Gralea was their birthplace.

"What business do you have in Gralea?"

Nyxia didn't know why she hadn't thought of that. She couldn't just tell her the truth, now could she? Did she even know that Ardyn was resurrected?

"Everyone at the palace has vanished," she said carefully. "I think I might find my answers there as to why and how."

"I think I can answer that for you."

This was not the response Nyxia was expecting to hear. Slightly surprised, her interest piqued. "What do you mean?"

"The last time there was a report of a mass-disappearance like this, they were being transformed into daemons. And with the attack in Altissia... I'd be willing to bet the two might somehow be related, if I'm right."

"You're saying that everyone at the palace might have been turned into daemons?" she repeated, trying to make sure she hears her correctly.

"Yeah, but there's only one person that I know of to run that operation, and he died with it. Unless I'm wrong in assuming that."

Nyxia was quiet for a moment. Was she talking about Ardyn? Years ago, she might have not believed her. She hated to think he had his hands in so many baskets, but right now, that didn't seem entirely impossible.

"If that's true, then that's all the more reason for me to investigate."

She heard a sigh on the other end of the line. "I can get you there. I'll be there first thing in the morning."

Nyxia prepared herself as best as she could. She had never been to the once-imperial capital. Didn't even know how to get there, but Aranea was a good acquaintance to have at this point in time. It was relieving that she survived the attack on Altissia.

Nyxia did what she could to get some rest, though wasn't exactly successful. Four hours into tossing, turning, and broken sleep, she wandered into the throne room. Since the "vanishing sickness" had taken over Curia, she hadn't taken step into this room. A tall scale of white-and-black, marble stairs led to the king's chair, and beyond it was an ornate window that reached to the cathedral ceiling.

The weirdest part was facing that the throne was meant to be hers now. Nyxia looked at it from the bottom of the stairs. Then, she turned her back.

Nyxia spent the next, several hours training with her assortment of weapons. She spun her staves. She slashed her sickle. She even drew out other weapons she hardly ever used from her arsenal: her crossbow, daggers, and sword.

In the end, her staff provided enough distance between her and the bad guys. That was why ranged weapons had always been her preference. Yet, it was good to have a variety at her disposal.

It was still dark by the time that Aranea had arrived in Curia. However, she wasn't prepared for the emotional trauma that was to follow. As the airship lowered onto the ground to hover, and its door dropped open, Aranea disembarked with a limp figure in her arms.

Somehow, the queen already knew it was her mother's corpse.

With Aranea's help, she was given her own niche in the stone walls of the tomb, which was built beyond the gardens. She rested next to her husband, and with them resided other, Curian kings and queens.

Once the graves were sealed, they both paid their respects. Nyxia took a few moments longer to be with them in silence after Aranea respectfully left the room and awaited her outside.

"I'm sorry, mom and dad," she breathed. "I wish I could have done more..."

She rose from the stone ground and left the room, and Aranea gave her a sympathetic look as they began to walk back towards the ship. However, not being very experienced in putting softer emotions into words, she kept quiet.

After a little while of the ship flying towards the foreign continent, Aranea spoke up. "So, what do you intend to find in Gralea?"

"The gem should be there," she told her. Aranea would have been able to recall Nyxia searching for it during the last scourge. However, though the motive for finding it had changed, she wasn't about to tell her that.

"Well, there's no telling what's in the empire's base. I won't let you go in there alone."

"I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle." The last thing she wanted was for Aranea to follow her and only to find out that this was a mission of self-sacrifice.

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't doubt that place is still swarming with rogue troopers and daemons. It's the least I can do, since I couldn't save your mother..."

Nyxia, who was sitting in one if the secured chairs, looked down. "What happened to her exactly?"

"Elemental bombs.. She was in The Arena. They came at her from all directions, and they just wouldn't stop duplicating themselves. The fire bombs blew up the building and the walls collapsed on top of her." Aranea looked frustrated. "Knocked me out for a couple of hours, according to what I was told. But she was already gone by the time we found her body under the rubble."

Nyxia was reserved for a while, but eventually, she did feel forced to at least break the silence after about three minutes. "I don't blame you. I'm sure you did everything you could..."

The other woman gave her a small smile, though it was hard to read whether she was relieved or just trying to cover up the guilt she felt. "Gotta keep our heads high, right? We have a city that needs saving."

By the time they arrived at Zegnautus Keep, Nyxia was feeling a little uneasy. Full of tall, hovering buildings and darkness, it was hard to determine where exactly the entrance was until Aranea had pointed it out. Nyxia activated the light strapped to her leather jacket, following the bright light into the keep.

"You think there's a generator in here somewhere?" she asked Aranea.

"No doubt. Keep an eye out for a wall map. There's one in almost every other room."

Doing just that, Nyxia followed the corridor down. It trailed for a long ways, though none of the automated doors responded to her approach. At the other end of the hallway, she located a map.

The generator was thankfully on this floor, but getting to it meant they would have to force these doors open. Nyxia used her hands first, trying to pry them open.

"Why did I think that was going to work?"

Aranea lodged the tip of her lance into the crevice, and she managed to pry it ajar. "Hold it... I think I got it. Can you fit through?"

Nyxia was sure she could. However, the doors were clearly resisting. "I can. But what about you?"

"If you can at least find the generator and turn the power on, we can catch up. Now, go!"

Nyxia did so, and though she didn't want to leave her behind, she really had no choice. The lance was pulled away from the doors, and they quickly slammed shut between them.

"Aranea, I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay, okay, now move it!" she heard her order from the other side of the heavy barrier. Nyxia did so, noticing a lot of crates and electrical equipment in the room that she was in. According to the map, the generator should be in the next room to the right. However, another set of mechanical doors blocked the way. Nyxia conjured a staff to throw fire at it, though it didn't seem to leave anything more than burnt marks on the metal. Another fireball was thrown forward, and still, no luck...

Then, Nyxia looked over at the electric panel on the side. Perhaps she could give it a jump without the generator's power?

 _Why didn't I think of that before?_ Focusing her power to her hand, where she would only need a small, controlled amount of spark, she raised it to the box on the wall. A current formed between her palm and the panel, and a series of crackles and zapps sounded. Then, there were white flickers, followed by a loud _pop_!

Then, the door responded, the dead panels on it glowing a bright green. "Yes!" As it opened, she stepped inside. There was a larger clearing, but once the door closed back up behind her, it was dark again.

Then, there was a bone-chilling sound that emitted from behind her. Nyxia conjured her sickle and struck, though she wasn't even sure what it was that pursued her until she had turned around. She had never seen anything like it before, but it was a daemon of black flesh with giant wings. Sharp appendages that could only be horns protruded from its eye sockets, and its sharp teeth looked as though they could cut through flesh like paper. It was a hideous beast, but Nyxia forced herself to focus.

Again, she would lunge at the monster, extending the blade on its chain to take it by surprise. It landed, but it only seemed to piss it off. Following it with a couple of icy spells, she darted away in a flip to gain some distance between them. Still, she only had this one room to work with.

It didn't seem to do much to it, only cause it to release an inhuman scream at her. Then, it was gone.

Or at least, she didn't see its figure in the darkness.

Suddenly, she was yanked back and thrown to the ground. Her body landed in a skid on the hard ground, and she hissed in pain as her elbow scraped across the floor.

It could dematerialize and reappear anywhere. Nyxia used her staff to bloe llw him back a little, still on the ground as she tried to defend herself. To her right, she spotted the large machinery that was the generator. If she could just get to it on time.

Nyxia focused her strength further, sending the daemon with a blast into the wall behind it. While she had the chance, she erased for the generator and pulled up the switch. In a matter of seconds, the power roared to life. She ran for the door.

"Aranea! A little help here!" she called out as she returned to the previous room. Even as she approached the first door, it opened for her, yet Aranea was nowhere to be found.

Where the hell did she go? She had told her she'd be right back!

The winged abnormality behind her gave another, terrifying screech. Nyxia wasn't sure where to turn, and so went for the door on the other side of the hall. She booked it down the narrow hall, frequently looking over her shoulder at the daemon to see how far behind it was.

Then, suddenly, she tripped.

It wasnt just that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Something had actually grabbed her by the ankle! Nyxia yelled in panic, not even noticing until then the magitek armors that littered the hallway. And apparently, some of them were coming to life.

Nyxia kicked her foot, then used her blade to chop off its head clean from its shoulders. Once it was immobile, she was running at full speed again. She could hear the daemon stomping after her down the narrow hall, leaving her with only one door to pass through. However, as she approached it, she noticed there was no power going to it. It wouldn't open.

"Damnit!" she cried out, but as she spun around, there was a flash of another figure in front of her, amber eyes staring deep into hers for a split second. She shrieked again, and as Ardyn's hands slammed into the broken door on either side of her, boxing her in, he had disappeared just as quickly as he showed himself.

The daemon, however, seemed to be completely gone.

Nyxia's heart was pounding like a steam engine against her chest. She heaved, staring down the long, dim path of metal walls. Then, she heard the laughter. It seemed to be coming from all directions, as if through a speaker system.

"So, you followed me here..."

"I couldn't resist," came Ardyn's mellow voice. She couldn't determine whether he was mocking her or just making a simple statement. "You could say I'm guilty for being a voyeur when it regards Her Majesty."

"Yeah, well... I'm not here to put on a show for you." she answered, stepping away from the door. She hated not knowing where he was. It didn't exactly do well for trying to hold a conversation.

She turned back to the door, using another spell of electricity to start up the panel just enough to open up the door. It only parted by just a foot, allowing her just enough room to squeeze through.

She followed the next corridor down and hooked a left, cautious along the way. Any armors that she came across, she would demolish before they even activated.

As she pressed through the dark hallways, she constantly had her scythe at the ready. There were so many sharp corners, anyone could sneak up on her. Once she came across the elevator, she took it on up. It had been a linear walk so far, but as she came into what appeared to be a monitor room, she took a close look around.

And she certainly didn't fail to notice Ardyn's hat resting on a control switch. It seemed to be the power to the monitors, and as she switched them on, Nyxia quickly realized he had intended for her to look at them.

There was a screen in particular that showed live footage of a room that appeared to be a large, round room. There was machinery inside, but sitting on what looked like a throne chair was the Gem of Tenebra. She knew it couldn't be far.

Observing the icon in the top-left corner of the screen, she was able to determine exactly where it was.

 **4F, EMP**

"Fourth floor," she assumed sourly, making her way back towards the elevator. As the sliding doors closed behind her, she selected the button to take her up two more floors.

Then, just as the doors opened, she was shoved back inside, her lower back slamming into the hand rail behind her. Ardyn had her pinned again, and as the doors closed behind him, the power of the keep cut off, leaving the two of them in darkness.

"How much longer do you plan on taunting me?" she sneered at him, shoving him away from her. He staggered back a little, though otherwise seemed untroubled by it. He would smirk at her, casually walking towards her until she was backed into a corner.

"As always, you are so full of fire." He grabbed her by the wrists, pressing them against two adjacent walls in time with a fervent kiss on her lips. It was all she could do not to give in. While he intimidated and scared her, Nyxia never knew passion like she did with him those five-odd years ago. She sounded a moan, her resolve weakening as she sank against the wall. Ardyn only pulled back slightly, his breath fanning her cheek as he whispered. "It will be simply _glorious_ to see it burn you alive."

"Get...off..." she grunted, though she did very little to physically pry him off.

"Is that what you really want? I know when your body craves something." His hands glided over her waist, yanking her in tightly. "I've always known."

"Ardyn... please..."

"Ah, I think she's about to combust."

Nyxia caught that irresistible scent of cologne: a luscious blend vanilla, coconut, and amberwood. It had intoxicated her like an aphrodisiac every time, and even now, it was like fresh blood to a hungry shark.

"Allow me to help you with that," he purred. "It looks like we might be stuck in here for some time."

She trembled as he effortlessly lifted her from the ground, pulling her legs around his waist. He may have been still fully dressed in his number of usual layers, but the pressure between her legs couldn't go unnoticed. She tried to ignore it. She had to remember why she was here.

"And the detonator is probably going to be right...here..."

Nyxia bit her bottom lip as his hand disappeared beneath her skirt. She had hoped he wouldn't go that far again. He played his cards well, and his seductive words weren't helping.

She could never recall him toying with her quite like this. While he had always been a tease, he always finished what he started, when they had been close. It was still hard to believe that she had loved him, and that he pretended to have mutual feelings.

Yet, fighting him off was hopeless, and at this point, a preposterous idea. Her hands found the rails just beneath her backside, fingers clutching tightly around them. Her body was hot with desire, and she was on the edge of simply surrendering to him. Even if just this once...

"Your body serves me, Nyxia. That's why it betrays you."

His fingers played circles against her wet skin, causing her to shiver and whimper. There was no escaping him. "You're right," she panted. "You win..."

"My dear... Neither of us can lose at this game." He kissed her again, and this time, she was more welcoming to it. Her body flexed slightly, itching for more than he was currently giving her. And knowing him, he'd play this game until she forced his hand.

"Shut the hell up and fuck me already."

He gave her a sly stare, though seemed very briefly surprised by her aggression. "I thought you'd never ask."

He shifted for a moment, and Nyxia practically held her breath as she felt him prod, though only for a moment until he would slip through her folds and inside of her. She drew in a deep, pleasurable gasp, every muscle in her body squeezing in anticipation. She couldn't have even dreamt of it feeling this good.

"Oh, how I've waited for this." Ardyn gave her a firm thrust, sending her into a frenzy of rapture. Once he started, she was long gone, but it was clear that he was drawing it out just to torment her. Her body squirmed against his, as if trying to push back to pursue her buildup.

He ripped off Nyxia's jacket, which helped her cool down a little bit. As soon as the leather hit the ground, suddenly, so did Ardyn. She made sure to land on top of him, taking control to gain her satisfaction at her pace, not his.

A pleasurable growl rumbled in his throat as he took her hips. His grip was tight, but not to the point of restricting her bouncing motions. She couldn't help but recall the number of times she had ridden him in the past. Particularly that one time in the camper, after he had saved her one of numerous times. When she believed him to be a good man.

Maybe that same man was still in there somewhere.


	26. The Color of Blood

Almost as if the entire base had been powered by an orgasm, the elevator hummed as her body slumped on top of his.

She always hated that feeling she got when the elevator would first begin to shift, where her stomach would feel funny, but down here on the floor with Ardyn, all she felt was ecstasy.

She watched the ripple of his back muscles as they both collided with the floor. The way his hair looked like wild, violet flame, tousled on his head.

She had tried to forget this bliss she felt with him once before, back when he was her world. Except, the world was nothing but destruction and darkness.

As the elevator finished its ascension, the lights flickered. Nyxia blinked, but as she did, there was no trace of Ardyn.

 _Again..._

No trace, except for the warm seed that trickled from her sex. She adjusted her undergarments and smoothed her skirt over her upper legs before she exited the shaft.

Around her was a giant clearing, a catwalk takong her towards a round platform in the center of the area. The platform was enclosed, but the door to it was ajar. It was the room she saw on the security camera. And sure enough, the jeweled shuriken sat on the seat of the deceased emperor's throne.

She paced forward, knowing there was no turning back now. As she stood in front of the chair, she thought again about what she was doing, and why she was doing it. Her eyes closed, and she mused.

If it was the only way to bring back the light, what was she waiting for?

Nyxia's green eyes opened, and as she lifted her hand towards the air in front of her, it came to her, flying into her grip like a boomerang.

She had always worked so hard to try and make a difference in the world. Now, she had an opportunity to finally do something right.

With a deep breath, Nyxia ran one of the shuriken's sharp tips against her chest, drawing a downward gash towards her stomach. She cried out in pain as she did, and as the blood ran freely onto her shirt, its color began to change. The Gem fell to the floor, covered in black blood. The sorceress coughed and thrashed, fighting a pain that started deep within.

Then, it felt like claws were tearing into the cut, ripping her skin off and digging deeper into her body. The pain was overwhelming, and what more, her screams would be heard by no one but the welcoming daemons surrounding the citadel.

The pain only subsided after about ten minutes. She lied on the bloodied floor, breathing heavily as the cut seemed to gradually heal on its own. In time, she only felt fatigued. Perhaps a little strange, as though she drank one too many glasses of wine. Then, her body fell limp.

Nyxia would wake up with a start, though was surprised to find herself back in her own bed. She sat up, the curtains blowing gently in the night breeze. She checked her phone. 1:27am. There was also a text from Aranea.

 _Call me as soon as you wake up._

Had she brought her back to Curia? Nyxia, determined to get her answers, dialed Aranea. Two rings in, however, the phone made a sad noise that insisted its battery was too low to continue on. She growled irritably, locating the charger to plug it in.

While she waited for it to power up, she rose from the bed.

It would be a while before sunrise. Or was this whole thing a dream? She wasn't wearing the leather jacket and short skirt that she recalled sporting before. Nor did she see any blood, black or otherwise, nor as much as a scratch on her chest.

Had the whole thing really been nothing more than a figment of her imagination?

Or had Aranea helped clean her up while she was unconscious?

She climbed out of the bed, and the room was lit up by a clash of lightning from outside. The sound of rain pattering could be heard, but outside, it was nearly pitch-black.

Nyxia flipped the switch, but no light turned on. Curia was without power again.

She changed out of her nightgown, slipping into a pair of spandex pants, taking a moment to adjust the buckled straps on the outer thighs that covered a thin layer of black mesh. From her wardrobe, she drew out a tight, leather vest, zipping it up to her neck before she would slip into a pair of heeled, platform boots.

She used her fingers to comb her long hair on the way out. She wasn't even sure where she was going yet. Perhaps she would need to start up the generator before the daemons started coming.

However, as she passed by the throne hall, she came to a halt. Something didn't feel right. Something felt... evil, but like it was calling her to come inside.

But as Nyxia slowly walked into the vast room, it was evident that royalty did sit the throne, after all. As she came into the vast, dark room, she saw Ardyn perched on the chair at the top of the stairs, as if he knew she was coming, sitting where her father should have been.

At the foot of the stairs, her energy left her completely. Suddenly, she felt utterly drained, and her body fell to the floor. It was hard to breathe, like the air around her had thickened and poisoned itself. Ardyn remained where he was, but he acknowledged her.

"There she is. How I've missed my beautiful princess...now all grown up to be a queen."

Is this what it felt like to die? Nyxia couldn't be sure, but at this rate, perhaps death would be a blessing. She crawled up the stairs, collapsing a couple of times. As she reached his feet, Ardyn leaned over, pulling her up by her waist in such a way to rest her on his lap. Even still, she was far too lethargic to keep herself upright, let alone fight him off. It was as if his presence had sucked the life out of her.

His hands moved to either side of her face, and he pressed her forehead against his. There was a glow, not of a bright, yellow light, but instead of crimson. Yet, as the moments passed and the light would begin to fade, Nyxia felt invigorated. Even considering what he was, he could still be a healer.

"It must have been agonizing," he said, dipping his head down, where he would plant kisses along the center of her chest. "Yet, I knew you could push through it."

She didn't say anything. It was obvious that Nyxia wasn't having an easy time coming to terms with this. It definitely was no dream, which meant the sun would rise.

But that also meant she had indeed given herself to him back in Gralea.

"It's such a shame you did it all for naught."

Her chest tightened at his words. "What?" Nyxia stepped back suddenly, and as she did, Ardyn rose to his feet casually.

"I kept your seat warm for you, Your Majesty. It's going to be a long, cold night."

"You fucking monster! What did you do!?" she demanded as she charged at him. However, Nyxia threw herself forward, thrusting him back into the throne and bringing her sickle to his throat.

"I'm not the monster you think I am. I'm the monster you wanted me to be."

"You'd better start talking, and cut the riddles."

"Your sunrise won't be coming for at least another year." The appalled look she held had Ardyn laughing wickedly. "It might have come sooner, had you not been so brazen back in the elevator."

Nyxia felt her body run cold, as if liquid ice coursed through her veins suddenly. "You bastard... you tricked me!" She brought back the weapon, though as she sliced at him, he grabbed the blade with his bare hand.

"Ah, ah... Did you forget that it was you who begged for it?" Black, inky blood trickled down his wrist, but he didn't even seem to express pain. "I simply fulfilled your request."

"You knew it would happen this way..." she scowled furiously. How was she supposed to know there would be consequences, especially to this degree?

"But isn't it worth all that pleasure you endured?" he muttered, his other hand gliding up her abdomen. "How long has it been since we shared such a beautiful moment?"

"Stop it!" she yelled, and suddenly, her hands both snaked around his neck. He was likely still immortal, but she was hoping for at least a chance to choke the life out of him. Again, Ardyn only laughed.

"Go ahead, my pet. Unleash your anger! It will quicken your corruption." It took a moment for his words to reach her, then, Nyxia's grop loosened. She was screwed no matter what she did.

"What did you do to me..." Her voice sounded of defeat.

"Oh, no, no. That wasn't _me,"_ he insisted. "You chose to believe the gods showed you a vision of using blood and death magic to save Eos. That was your first mistake." He held up his index finger as if to emphasize his words. "Your second mistake was no different from mine. You willingly took in the darkness, and even with good intentions, with no idea of the consequences to follow."

"Bullshit! You never had good intentions!"

Ardyn grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her closer, his lips dangerously close to hers. "I did once," he said. "Even when you were mine, I wanted to protect you. Deep within, a tiny sliver of me might have even wanted to see you succeed, and to abandon my spite."

"Spite towards someone that _stole your throne_ ," she scoffed. "Yeah, right..."

"I can't possibly blame you now, though back then, I did, But I snapped." He snapped his fingers, giving her a look that was difficult to read. He seemed smug, but it felt forced, somehow. "I broke you like a twig, and I had nothing left to go back to. So, I met my fate...for a little while."

"You just couldn't stay dead," she scowled.

"Noctis told me only then could I know peace. But I already knew what that felt like..." His hand brushed over the side of her face. "...and I destroyed it." Nyxia's words were trapped in her throat. He hadn't expressed anything like this in a long time. She had been starting to think he couldn't feel love. She understood, but that only went so far.

"That doesn't legitimize anything."

"I did it because I didn't want to lose you again."

Nyxia looked at him in confusion and surprise. What did prolonging the darkness have to do with losing her? It had nothing to do...

She paused, recalling his words. _"You chose to believe the gods showed you a vision..."_

"You were the one who showed me the visions."

Ardyn gave her an impish smile. "On the contrary, you have Rubia to thank for that."

 _Rubia_. It was still hard to keep in mind that she had been a mind trick all of this time, too. A succubus. One that didn't seem to care much about orders from Ardyn, though she wouldn't have doubted it for a second that Ardyn was still behind this trickery.

"Given a chance, you two could become fast friends."

"She's a monster, just like you..." Nyxia growled.

"And as you now know, we monsters can have nightmares, too."

Again, she cried out in anger, the sickle coming down a second time. Now, it landed into his shoulder. Ardyn growled, and his face altered, blackness accenting his face like streaks of blood. His eyes darkened, and his skin was significantly paler.

She had only seen him once like this before, the night when he had raped her and left her for good. Yet, this time, Nyxia was hurting emotionally, not physically...

"Stop it..." she choked out, and a glisten of a single tear could be seen on her cheek. "Stop making me believe you might be in there somewhere..."

He looked up at her from the chair, breathing heavily, his body twitching as if he was trying to fight the daemons inside of him. Then, the black streaks faded, and his skin darkened back to normality again. His body calmed, and he gently pulled her in, his lips brushing away the teardrop.

"You always had so much faith in me... Don't give up on me now."

To be honest, she also grew up a lot since then, but that didn't mean she didn't want to at least try. She'd give anything to see that side of him again.


	27. Pride and Prejudice

Prompto knew that Gladio's pride had taken a beating once before, but he imagined this was a whole different story. He always knew his friend to be a flirt when it came to the ladies. The furthest thing Prompto expected was that he would have fallen for one.

Gladiolus with a broken heart... that definitely was a storm to seek shelter from. He had never seen such ruthlessness in his eyes when he charged at her like that, and when that blade punctured through the king's heart, Gladio still looked as though he hated everything in existence.

It was like he didn't even recognize his friend.

Since he and Ignis had left Insomnia, they didn't cross paths with him. Prompto had tried to dial his phone a couple of times, but never was there any answer.

"It's been a whole day," he sighed, glancing up at Ignis as he prepared dinner over a campfire. "Do you think we should be worried?"

"Gladio is in a state of mind that may potentially leave him vulnerable," Ignis said thoughtfully. "In any other scenario, I wouldn't fret, but as of right now, there really is no telling."

"He and Xia... I had no idea..." Prompto could have dealt with the jealousy, but when she confessed that she had been with Ardyn, his blood boiled. That creep had made the world miserable, and he enjoyed every bit of it.

"I had suspicions, but I couldn't be sure. A larger concern is how we should handle the king's death - accidental or not, Gladio has committed a terrible crime."

"He didn't even act like he cared, Ignis! He just...left!"

"Indeed, he did, and I guarantee she went after him."

"Do you think he's dead...?"

Ignis was silent for a moment, and Prompto noticed he had stopped stirring the stew. Did he say something wrong? _Damnit, maybe I should have kept my big mouth shut..._ "On the contrary, I'm certain he's alive and well." There was a change in his tone, one that Prompto couldn't quite determine. Yet, he went on to clarify. "Clarus Amicitia was good friends with King Cingarus. Gladio was acquainted with him since childhood. Not even envy can break respect such as that."

"You think maybe...he was possessed?"

"Much worse. Did you miss the smug look on his face?"

No... He was totally right. "Ardyn..."

Ignis resumed stirring again, although his grip seemed tighter. "Had I still been blind, I might have never guessed it."

"So, he still plays the same, dirty tricks after all this time." Prompto picked up the two bowls beside Ignis, ready to hold them over the cooking pot as he would fill them.

"Gladio is out there somewhere still...and he's innocent."

"But Xia doesn't know that."

Ignis sighed. "No. It seems she doesn't."

"Then, shouldn't we tell her?" Prompto might have been pretty upset with her, but she was still his friend. After all, no one was perfect. He knew that more than most.

Ignis sat down with his bowl, seeming indifferent now. "You can."

"W-what... what's that look for?" Had Ignis given up on her?

"We did what was expected of us from the king. We located the Gem, and the scourge returns regardless. We put our faith in the wrong princess, Prompto."

"She didn't know what he was capable of..."

"She gave her heart to a monster. A monster that killed Lady Lunafreya. A monster that created daemons and magiteks from innocent, human beings. A monster that plunged the world into darkness for ten years." Very rarely did Prompto see him this angry. Ignis made a huge sacrifice to try and take Ardyn down for Noctis. When he put that ring on, it took his eyesight in exchange for power, and even then, Ardyn escaped. The sacrifice made no difference. It was no wonder Ignis took it so personally.

Prompto looked at his soup as he sat down as well. Then, he looked out towards Steyliff Grove in the distance. He tried to think of what else could be said to defend Nyxia. But Ignis wasn't entirely wrong, was he? In fact...he made perfect sense.

Then, Prompto remembered something useful to change the subject.

"Someone else was looking for the Gem, too. You think they might be after Ardyn?"

"I doubt it, if you speak of Vess." Ignis took a spoonful of his stew, then waved the utensil in the air a bit. "Nyxia asked me to look into it, but as far as records show, Vess doesn't even exist. Chances are, Ardyn is our Lich Lord, and even the Necromancers weren't aware of who they were working for."

"Man, that's crazy..." For a moment, he tried to ponder on why Ardyn would conceal his true identity. Then, he realized how silly of a question it was. He was the master of disguise. That's just what he _did_.

"We need to find the real Gladio. Question is: how?"

"We can start by tracking his cellular device," Ignis said. "Now that it seems less probable that he doesn't want to be found, it's time we make our first move. But first...we eat."

Prompto didn't have to be told twice. He practically gobbled the whole thing down in minutes, not because he was eager to get this show on the road, but simply because he loved the taste of the food.

Prompto already had low hopes for whoever would be his wife one day. They would never be able to best Ignis's cooking.

Once they were done, Ignis took a few minutes to tinker with his cell phone. Prompto wasn't sure exactly how he did it, but he was able to track Gladio's easily enough.

A change in Iggy's face told him that he must have found something.

"It appears we must backtrack to the Curian palace."

Once they were packed, they both mounted the motorcycle and headed back. Prompto rode in front, needing very little directions to get back. He only hoped that they would find Gladio before either Nyxia's or Ardyn's wrath did.


	28. Toxic Remedy

How the hell did he wind up here, and where _was_ here, anyway? Gladio's eyes opened only to find himself heavily bound by thick chains - bonds which he usually would have been able to break like a tree branch, had it not been reinforced with magic.

Last thing he remembered, he had gotten a phone call from Ignis saying that Nyxia was kidnapped by necromancers. He hadn't even known that she left the hotel room until that rude awakening. Yet, when he was instructed to meet the others as the palace, he knew something wasn't right there. Something seemed really off, like someone had been expecting them.

The trio met up somewhere in the palace; he couldn't even remember exactly. His head was still throbbing, as if he had a bad hangover.

He remembered seeing Ardyn. Somehow, it all felt like a bad dream, but he wasn't an idiot. Gladio then remembered what he had discovered. Nyxia had a much more complicated past than he expected, and she had darker secrets than he had bargained for.

She lied to him - to all of them. A past love with _Ardyn_ was a _big_ secret to hide, no matter that he had been presumed dead. It pissed him off, made his blood run like angry lava as he pulled at his restraints.

Then, he forced himself to tone it down and look at the room around him. He couldn't recall being in this part of the palace. There were no windows, and the four, stone walls around him seemed fairly close. Behind him, though he struggled to see, he thought he saw bars. Was he in a cell?

Flickering torches illuminated the chamber outside, giving him just enough room to barely see what was around him. There really was nothing more. Ardyn must have put him here after rendering him unconscious. And Ignis and Prompto... were they alright?

There was no telling how long he had been here. Hours? Days?

"That son of a bitch!" he growled, struggling for a few moments longer. Yet, he couldn't determine what angered him more - the fact that Ardyn was back, or the fact that he had an intimate history with Nyxia before he came along.

Gladiolus had never been the jealous type. Usually, women just came and went. Not that he always slept around; in fact, he did that a lot less often than most would expect. He was a flirt a lot more than he was a sleaze that slept around. While women were beautiful, they also deserved respect.

Well, now he just felt like an asshole. For the longest time, that was not how he had treated Nyxia. She reminded him a lot of Noct, before he matured to be a king. She was stubborn. She was a hassle. She drove him mad and constantly reminded him to watch his temper.

But _damnit_ , did she know how to drive a stick in bed.

"That she does." The familiar voice that stirred behind him caused Gladio's blood pressure to instantly rise. If he had any chance of getting out of these chains, he would strangle that bastard as long as he possibly could, and make his death as slow and as painful as possible.

"What did you do with the others!?"

He heard footsteps behind him, on the opposite side of the bars, but he couldn't see Ardyn, no matter how much he tried to turn his head. He couldn't even catch him in his peripheral vision.

"Ignis and Prompto are alive and well, and they're probably headed back this way to come save you."

Gladio never knew the man to be a liar, though he was very deceitful in other ways. If this was true, he was certain Ardyn would set up some sort of trap to play with them.

"Dear Queen Nyxia, however... she is beyond saving."

Queen? What had happened while he was out?

As if sensing his confusion, Ardyn continued. "Your poor dove has been through so much loss these past couple of days. And since you weren't around to comfort her, I merely picked up the torch."

Gladio's fists clenched. Cingarus and Natalia...were they both dead?

"Especially since you are the one that killed the king."

"Liar! You're insane-" Instantly, he understood what this meant. Ardyn made it look like Gladio was the one to kill Cingarus. He might have been unconscious for two days, but he wasn't a fool.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded, forcing himself to clear his head.

Then, two arms enclosed him within the chair. Ardyn stood in front of him like a flash of lightning, his face half-masked by his fedora. "Oh, she's just upstairs, sitting her throne. I ensured that." The smirk he wore made him only want to punch him harder.

"The moment I get out of here, I will _end_ _you_."

"I'd like to see you try, _lover boy_."

Ardyn laughed, and he shoved his foot into the chair, sending it back into the bars. Gladio's head jerked forward then back, and a case of whiplash washed over him.

"He still shows worry for her well-being. How precious." Then, behind him, an array of bright, red armiger weapons floated in the air. "I might have to beat that out of you, and keep beating you until there is _nothing_ left."

Gladio glared fire at him, and as he fought again at the enchanted chains, he could only take the royal arms, as if he was Ardyn's practice target. Each sharp point of each blade and arrow that landed into his torso, and though he didn't bleed, it felt like the real thing. Ardyn enjoyed every minute of it, but he would never be given the satisfaction of hearing any sounds of pain - not even an audible wince.

They only kept coming, and it felt like a good, five minutes had passed before Ardyn ceased fire. His entire body ached. Getting stabbed a hundred times kinda did that to a person. He slowly lifted his head, and for a moment, thought he saw frustration in The Accursed's eyes.

"We have an abundance of time to break you down." He walked out of the cell, passing through the bars as if he was a ghost. "Get yourself comfortable, Gladio. It will be a long stay."

Eventually, the footsteps sounded into silence, and all he could hear was a painful ringing in his ears. He dropped his head, exhausted, but in far too much pain to sleep.

 _Ignis. Prompto. Where are you guys?_ He saved his winces for now, for when he was alone. As he tried to shift his body, he growled lowly at the pain.

 _Xia..._

He didn't want to say it out loud, but Ardyn was right. He _was_ worried about her. If she was queen, then she lost both her mother and father. He knew that had to hurt a lot. He had seen loss, even witnessed it for himself in the past. Perhaps he dealt with it better than others, but even when Noctis had given his life, and the rays of the first sun after the Starscourge had risen over the trees, Gladio wasn't tearless.

Nyxia was a tough girl, but she felt pain just like everyone else.

Finally, Gladio's eyes closed, and he dreamed for the first time in a long while. He could feel the sea breeze of Galdin Quay as he walked on the dock.

On the sand, he saw her, sunbathing on a towel with her back towards the sky. She sported a black bikini, which blended in with her raven hair. Between her and the sand was a crimson towel.

The waves were a little choppy, but otherwise, the weather felt beautiful. He could hear the gulls calling, and he could even smell lobster steaming.

He headed down the steps, his boots sinking slightly into the sand as he would walk towards Nyxia. She seemed oblicious that he was even there, but very soon, he found himself distracted. To his left, where he saw another dock reaching out over the water, he saw a figure with shorter, black hair. He held a fishing pole, and seemed to be reeling in a large catch.

As if it was normal to see hia long-gone friend, Gladio headed for that direction instead to see what fish was on the line. However, in the distance, the water began to rise. Rapidly, the skies darkened, and the sea became a wall crumbling towards the shore.

"NOCT!" he yelled, but as the water crashed onto the dock, it took half of it, as well as the man that stood on it.

Gladio froze, then turned to where he had seen Nyxia. She was gone, too, but a red towel could be seen floating on the calming water before it would sink.


	29. Second Thought

When Ardyn returned to the throne room, she was not where he left her. He furrowed his brow. She couldn't have gone far. He only left her alone for fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. He couldn't imagine Nyxia would have run off on him again, but yet, he had underestimated her before.

However, as he approached the chair at the top of the steps, he could feel her aura pulsating, and it would lead him out of the room and up the stairs.

As he followed her energy, he wondered how long he should give Gladio before he would torture him some more. He had many ideas in mind, and though it was tempting to enact them all at once, he had to show patience. It wouldn't be nearly as fun if he played all of his cards so soon.

He still had to learn the layout of the palace. He would have been much more content about returning to Insomnia, which was the original plan, but he had to confess, playing his game here did make things much more interesting.

He came into a large room, where in its center sat an ornate bathtub. There she was, almost full submerged in a full basin of steaming water, like a hot spring.

He wouldn't deny she probably felt filthy after her return from Gralea. What he wouldn't give to see that look of pure rapture on her face again, to feel her and see her squirm...

Ardyn discarded his overcoat and scarf, hanging them on a rack before he knelt beside the tub. He would roll up the baroque-styled sleeves of his shirt, remove his gloves, then dip his hand into the water to rinse her off.

"I noticed you've lost some of your spark since we last met." He started with her shoulders, though Nyxia still seemed distant with her eyes. "I would hate to think I might have been the cause of that." He wanted her trust, but it wasn't because he wanted to use and abuse it, but because he wanted to keep it...

"It occurred to me that I went a touch too far, but you understand, don't you? Love makes you do crazy things, especially when you are plagued by daemons."

Nyxia shut her eyes, as if she didn't want to hear any more. His hand found her chin, gently turning her head to look at him. Nyxia's eyes opened again, and for the first time in years, he saw soft, green eyes looking back at him. He wanted to kiss her, but at the same time, she might have something important to say.

Did Ardyn truly feel remorse for hurting her? Indeed, he did, yet such guilt only went but so far. He felt nothing for hurting the others. In fact, he would set up a time for every day to destroy Gladio and still keep him alive.

"How will you make it up to me?"

Her words surprised him, almost as if they came out of nowhere. It couldn't be so easy to win her over. She had lost everything dear to her, though her home still stood in darkness.

His thumb brushed over her lips, and his other hand trailed down her stomach. He couldn't keep his hands off of her. "How is this?"

She bit her bottom lip. It was a reaction he noticed even back then, when she was turned on. It made him need her all the more, but something was wrong. Something was missing.

She still wouldn't look at him.

Well, that could be changed.

His hand moved faster than he could keep track. Suddenly, there was a tight grasp around her neck, and Ardyn squeezed firmly, practically choking the air from her.

"Don't think you can fool me." Nyxia could only grab onto the sides of the basin she laid in, her body struggling against his grip. "I know you can't possibly forget about your dear Gladio that quickly."

He thought that using Gladio's image to come at her in assault might have resulted in her complete disinterest for him. Impaling Cingarus with the sword was only a bonus, but somehow, she was still stuck on him, or perhaps just conflicted with Ardyn.

He was more convinced it had to be the former.

"Though, perhaps in time, you might not have to play pretend."

Ardyn loosened up on his grip. Even he couldn't predict his own actions. The daemons fueled his jealousy, and he would never be rid of them. He had done the unthinkable once before, but now, his grudges still remained with him, and he could tell his behavior was terrifying to her.

Good. A little bit of fear never hurt anyone.

It would take time for the Gem to do its work. When he instructed Rubia to put the false premonition into her mind, he knew he would have to show some sort of patience with the process. Perhaps dying had taken some of that calmness away from him.

Once it was evident that she had nothing to say, Ardyn lifted himself to his feet. However, her fingers suddenly snagged him by the wrist and yanked him back down to her level.

She was trying, at least. Even if Nyxia only wanted him physically, that was enough for now. After all, as long as the Bearer of the Gem remained corrupted by him, The Accursed, Eos would never see the sun again.

Of course, he wouldn't tell her that. There was no need to give her an incentive to resist his charm.

"Despite everything, he can't replace you..."

Her words stuck with him. It was as if that was all he needed to hear, even if it was a lie. He chose not to ponder whether it was or not, and instead, claimed her lips in a hot, hungry kiss. His hands resumed washing her down, though at this rate, his sleeves were getting soaked by the bathwater. Not that it was a terrible thing.

Once he was certain she was clean (or at least, as clean as she was going to get with his hands teasing her), he rose to his feet again with a satisfied grin. There would be plenty of time to continue this.

He had a certain, Lucian city to check on.

"Behave yourself. We will take further on this when I return."


	30. When the Ruby Breaks

Gladio hadn't been this humiliated since Ravus Nox Fleuret kicked his ass at the imperial base some time ago. While he managed to redeem himself, doing so in this scenario would be a tougher situation.

As he returned to consciousness from his more or less symbolic dream, Gladio grumbled. His body felt stiff, sitting in this chair all this time, and the fact that he couldn't even move his hands or legs just made it even worse.

 _Shit._ He was starting to get a cramp in his shoulder, and there was no easy way to work it out. He winced, craning his neck to the side in hopes to stretch the muscles at least a little bit.

He was starving. At least two days, he had been trapped below the palace. He needed to get outside, and he could really use a big, garula steak.

He heard footsteps behind him again, but somehow, he knew it wasn't Ardyn. There was the sound of heels echoing down the damp corridor.

"Gladio?"

His heart might have leapt a little. He couldn't see her, but he knew her voice. "Nyxia... what the hell is going on here?"

The clicking heels sounded more panicked aa they got louder, and soon, it sounded as though she was right behind him. "I'm sorry... I should have told you."

While he was angry with her, he knew he couldn't stay that way forever. He sighed, but then instantly remembered what Ardyn had said.

"I know you think I killed your dad, but that was not me-"

"I know, Gladio." Suddenly, her hands found his shoulders from behind, reaching between the bars and massaging the cramp out of them. "I'd let you go if I could...but you know he would probably kill me."

He gritted his teeth. "Still his pet after all this time, huh?"

"Don't say that... Ardyn... he only scares me. Nothing else."

Gladiolus felt his shoulders loosen in her firm squeezes. It felt incredibly nice, her touching him. If only the circumstances had been a little different.

Then, he heard the creak of the barred door opening. The chair he was in was pushed forward a few inches, and she slipped inside. Gladio swallowed hard. She wore a long, fitting dress, but the sheer, black material left little to the imagination. His eyes lingered on her garter belt and hosiery probably a little longer than needed. He had never seen her dress like this before. At first, he didn't know what to make of it, but arousal was at least part of the response.

He had to be having another dream. That was the only logical explanation.

"I might not be able to let you go, but I can at least make your stay a little more comfortable."

His mind was a whirlwind of emotions as her hands ran over his tattooed chest. Something didn't seem right, but it felt too good to just stop...

She planted kisses along his neck and ear, her body nestled on his lap. She felt feverish, which was a nice contrast to the cold air around him. He growled, wanting to grab her, but his restraints wouldn't allow him to. Nyxia chuckled softly at his struggling, slowly lifting herself off of him.

"Must be agonizing when you're not in control for a change..."

What was going on here? Was Nyxia so quick to dismiss the death of her father that she just wanted to jump into his pants? That didn't sound like her at all.

Gladiolus realized then what the dilemma was. Again, he grunted, suddenly throwing all of his muscular weight into the chair. The wood shattered beneath him, sturdy as it was, and even with the chains around his wrists still, he took his chance to pin her into the wall.

 _"What did you do to her!?"_

She laughed, giving him a calm and amused look as he cornered her. "Couldn't fool you..." she purred. Her black hair gradually altered to a shade of crimson, and as her facial features and eyes changed, Gladio's suspicions were confirmed. That damned succubus had been posing as her, and she almost had him tricked... "I did nothing to her. As long as Ardyn has her, she can't be touched."

Not good enough. In a rapid flash, he took the chain from his wrist and pushed it hard against her neck.

"Where is Ardyn!?" he demanded furiously.

"Insomnia. He has a ceremony to prepare. Your girlfriend is still upstairs. You might find she isn't the same girl from the hotel room, though." The daemon cackled, mockingly kissing him on the mouth. Gladio might have been a man of feral instinct, but this only pissed him off. Out of thin air, he drew his sword, thrusting the giant, heavy blade into her chest. Her eyes stared in shock at him, and black blood spewed from Rubia's lips.

Then, as she diminished to a fading, black mist, the sword would disappear again. Gladio dropped the metal bonds to the ground, where they collided with the stone floor with a loud _clang_!

Nyxia was upstairs. If he could find her, maybe he could get her out of here before Ardyn returned.

Feeling a bit more energetic than before, he hurried out of the dungeons. He kept taking the stairs upward, though couldn't be sure exactly where they were taking him until he stumbled across the main hall.

He took the familiar, double doors into the throne room, but it seemed that no one was sitting the throne. It was eerie, seeing the palace so abandoned. Was Nyxia even here, or had the succubus lied to him? Had he kept her alive, he might have tried to find out for sure, but he settled for searching every room he came across.

Then, he heard the ringing of a phone. He was pretty sure it was his. Following the ringtone to the meeting room, he located the device hiding under the long table. During the knockout, it must have fallen out of his pocket.

He had received numerous missed calls from both Ignis and Prompto. The most recent one was from the latter, and so he was quick to return the call.

"Gladio! You're okay! ...Uh... are you okay?" came Prompto's panicked voice from the other end.

"I am now. Where are you guys?"

"Heading towards the palace. You're still there, right?"

"Yeah... I never left."

There was a pause, then Prompto continued. "We'll be there as soon as we can, buddy. Any idea if Ardyn's still there?"

"I don't think so. I was informed that he went to Insomnia... something about a ceremony."

"Insomnia is completely abandoned. Not a whole lot different to how it was before. I wonder what he's up to."

"Hurry up and get here. I'm going to look for Nyxia."


	31. Close Call

Nyxia sat in the tub for far longer than was necessary. Her body was tired from this alteration, but she had to fight this stubbornness to get out and dry herself off. She returned to her own room with a towel wrapped around herself.

With Ardyn finally out of Curia, she could drop her mask. He had tricked her, and because of that, fully succumbing to him was completely out of the question. She was angry, not just with him, but with herself, as well.

How could she have given into him like that? She couldn't live with herself knowing she had ruined the world for another year, all because she gave into her desires for the man that was her first love.

She opened up her wardrobe, throwing on a silk robe, the first thing she set her eyes on. Usually, she would have been more conscious about her attire, but she was just miserable.

Then, as she walked onto the balcony, she looked out towards the gardens below. They would be kept in darkness for a long time, as would the rest of Eos. She would never see her friends again, nor her family, nor any of the Curians she knew.

Her city was gone, and it was too much work to start over on her own, especially with a broken spirit. She sobbed quietly, her hands gripped onto the stone railing in front of her. She spent years being brave, fighting for good... Now, she was just tired.

After about ten minutes of silence, her tears had dried. She went back inside, trailing the dark hallways to the highest floor, over ten stories high. The north wing was more like a storage area, almost never visited, but consisting of old paintings, furniture, and drapes that hadn't been touched in decades. Dust coated everything, even the floors. It was exceptionally dark, and as she walked towards the highest window of the tower, she had tripped on an old chandelier. Broken glass cut her leg as she did, but she kept moving, regardless.

This balcony was much higher up, and even purged in darkness, there was a beautiful view of the city from way up here. The air was much cooler, too, and a breeze blew the robe she wore about her legs.

She pulled herself carefully onto the railing, careful with her footing as she balanced. It was high enough, she figured, to do what needed to be done. Perhaps, for a change, she could do something right.

She closed her eyes, and the breeze picked up a bit more, pulling open her robe enough to expose her breasts to the night. She shivered slightly, but soon, she would feel nothing...

Her feet left the railing, but not for her to fall forward. Instead, she was yanked back, and before she could fully comprehend what waa going on, Nyxia heard a commanding voice yelling at her.

 _"Have you lost your fucking mind!?"_

Her eyes opened, and she wriggled against the strong arms that had pulled her back inside. "Let me go!"

He did, and as she turned around, she could barely make out Gladio in the dark attic. _"You..."_ she hissed, tears welling up in her eyes. Last she saw him, he had shown no remorse for killing Cingarus, or even trying to kill her. "I'll fucking kill you!"

Yet, as she grabbed an old sword from beside her and flung it at him, her efforts were weak from her hurt. Gladio used both of his hands to catch the flat sides of the blade, then yanked it away from her grasp before he would toss it aside. She stumbled forward, caught in his arms.

"I promise, Nyxia... that wasn't me. You should know deep in your heart I would never do something like that, no matter how bad my temper gets."

She was silent for a minute. Both of them sat on the wooden floorboards, and as she sniffled against his shoulder, she realized Gladio was right. It was completely unlike his character to be so merciless. Only one person could be capable of hurting her like that and act so uncaring.

How had she not seen it before?

"Gladio... I'm sorry... I didn't know..."

He sighed, brushing her hair from her wet face as she trembled in his arms. She was cold, and inside of her, hate was building up inside towards Ardyn. The bastard dared to say he cared about her, and yet, he had taken everything away from her... All because he wanted to be the only person she could rely on.

Now, she feared he might do worse to tear Gladio and the others away from her.

"I was scared," she murmured, trying to explain why she had been so ready to take her scandalous secret to the grave. "I should have told you guys the truth, but I tried to tell myself it didn't matter once he was dead. I shouldn't have-"

Then, she couldn't talk anymore. Gladio sealed her lips with a kiss. She wanted more than anything to just sink into him and melt into the warmth of his lips.

But she couldn't.

She was reluctant to pull away, but ultimately, she felt sickened with herself, especially since she had let Ardyn have his way with her in Gralea. She wanted to tell him, but at the same time, was terrified he'd never forgive her.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness," she murmured in defeat, scooting away from him.

"That's not for you to decide." Gladio reached out to grab her arm, but she pulled back before he could touch her.

"You were right. I lost everyone, so I ran back to Ardyn..." She choked, shutting her eyes.

Gladiolus's eyes hardened slightly. "I never said that."

"Oh... right. I guess that was him that said that, then."

Gladio remained still now, as if her words had changed his mind. But his words surprised her. "You did a stupid thing, sure, but if there's one thing I know about Ardyn, it's that he's an expert at manipulation. It wasn't your fault." He stood up, offering his hand to help her to her feet. Nyxia accepted, feeling a little more at ease than before as she fixed her robe. "Besides, if anything, he got the sloppy seconds, not me."

Nyxia wanted to laugh, but instead, she simply offered a timid smile. Just because Gladio had forgiven her, didn't mean she didn't feel completely disgusted with herself. Still, she followed him out of the north wing and down the stairs. The both of them were coated in dust.

"We need to get you out of here. I don't know what Ardyn has planned, but it involves some sort of ceremony at Insomnia, and knowing him, it can't be good."

Considering everything that had happened over the course of three days, she had a pretty good idea of what this meant. She only hoped she was wrong.

"Where are we going?" she asked, practically being dragged behind him down to the ground floor.

"I haven't thought that far yet. Where's the car?"

Gladio went to retrieve the car as she packed her necessities. Yet, as she imagined all women struggled with, she couldn't decide what was necessary enough to take with her and what she could tolerate leaving behind.

She stacked the suitcase mostly with clothes, and some hygiene stuff that could be replenished on the road when she got low. She didn't want to leave Curia behind, but it seemed as though there really was no choice.

By the time she reached the front door, the Stella was parked right by the curb. To her surprise, Ignis and Prompto were in the back, leaving her the passenger seat.

Once they were on the road towards Caem, Ignis was making a call to Iris, asking if the boat was there. She said she and Talcott would have it ready for them.

Not that any of them really thought that it was possible to lose Ardyn, but if anything, they could put as much distance as possible between themselves and Curia.

The topic of her history with him never got brought back up during the car ride. However, there was still one thing she wasn't ready to tell any of them yet. She had surrendered her soul to the daemons, and slowly but surely, the darkness was consuming her. Unless she could find a way to reverse the effects, she would ultimately find herself returning to Ardyn, no matter how far she ran.


	32. Open Hearts

Talcott most certainly had grown over the years, and never had Ignis imagined he would see the young man working on boats. Cid had taught him a lot of what he knew, and even when there was uncertainty of any kind, Talcott would give the elder man a call.

While Talcott prepared the boat, they stayed in the house on the cliff, each their own room. Iris seemed much like her usual self, as though she had forgotten the scare at the Cryotower. The most unsettled seemed to be Nyxia, and though Ignis could read anxiety like a children's book, he wasn't sure how to approach her yet.

He had neglected to help her when they all should have been there for her. While she wasn't Lucian royalty, they had been entrusted to Curian loyalty upon Noct's passing. Ignis realized they should have treated her with the same, undying loyalty as they did Noctis. And in that, they had failed.

Perhaps, he supposed, the Crownsguard was truly to blame. Nyxia had tried so hard to make things work, and a bump in the road had split them all apart all because of nasty judgment.

It kept him awake, the guilt he felt. They could have done more, and yet, because Nyxia had made poor choices before they even entered her life, they had left her to be eaten by the hungry wolf. Ignis sat in the lounge room, watching a muted television with a cooking show being broadcasted. Usually, he would feel inspired by this, but he was uninterested.

His conflicted thoughts were interrupted by footsteps on the upstairs loft, and as they descended the stairs, he saw it was Nyxia. She seemed distressed, like she had been lacking sleep, too.

"Iggy," she said with surprise, "I've never seen you up this late. You always preach how important it is to have an abundance of sleep."

"Yes, well... it seems I must defy my own advice every now and again." He glanced back to the television; hopefully, she wouldn't suspect something was on his mind, and might only assume that he was simply enthralled by the seafood creation in the making.

"Ignis, can I ask you something?"

He looked at her, trying to hide his hesitance. "Of course, Nyxia."

She sat in a chair diagonal from him, folding her hands uncomfortably in her lap. She had suffered much over time, and so he couldn't blame her but so much.

She appeared to be trying to find the right words. "To keep it simple, I think I was able to bring back the light, but...it required a certain sacrifice on my part."

This was a familiar scenario that Ignis recalled with Noct. However, the king had given his life. Nyxia was still alive and well, even if she did seem less of the latter. What kind of sacrifice had she made that couldn't visibly be seen?

"Go on."

"Well..." She seemed troubled. "I saw no other option. I used the Gem to absorb the darkness."

Ignis's eyes grew a bit behind his lenses. He knew what this meant for her, and though he hadn't been aware prior to now what the Gem was capable of, his extensive knowledge of dark artifacts told him what she had to do to absorb that dark energy.

"How long ago was this?" he asked, trying to refrain from scolding her. It seemed Nyxia was prone to making swift, reckless decisions when she was left with difficult choices.

"Two days, I think... I don't know, it's hard to tell when it's dark all the time."

Then, why hadn't they seen the sun yet? Even Ignis would have expected it to work by now. Was the Gem a fake after all this time?

"The Gem... where is it now?"

Nyxia paused, and he instantly deduced that she hadn't kept up with it. "Last I saw it was in Gralea. I'm afraid I don't know..."

"Gralea?" he repeated. What had she been doing when he and Prompto left the palace? However, he decided he really didn't want to know. What was important was finding a way to exercise her. After all, that was what she needed, right?

He wanted to be angry with her. In reality, he was, but showing that was more difficult than it seemed. It wasn't in Ignis's nature to be temperamental; he'd leave that to Gladio, the expert. Besides, not only was he sworn to protect Nyxia Chantieri, but he also owed her a big debt. After all, because of her, he was able to see the world clearly again.

"Nevermind that. We will find a solution."

"Thank you, Ignis."

"Hey! Don't forget about me!" There were hurried footsteps on the stairs, and Ignis was surprised that Prompto had jutted his way into the conversation. "No matter what, we're all in this together."

Ignis could imagine that the princess - or rather, _queen_ \- probably expected to be alone in this. She wasn't, and never would be. Even with King Cingarus and his spouse gone, their daughter was still sworn to be protected, no matter what.

Above them, Ignis noticed, Gladiolus had also been out of his room. He watched from the second floor, muscular arms leaning on the railing as he smiled faintly. Ignis understood that like before, this was a full team, and no matter what kind of mistakes were made, nothing would change that.


	33. Remains of Altissia

The boat ride was relaxing, though a bit breezy and dark with only the headlights to show them the way across the ocean. On their way out to Shirra, a beachy coast along Tenebrae, they would stop at Altissia to at least inspect the damage done. The capital of Accordo had just about recovered from Leviathan's wrath. When the daemons came, it reversed all of that hard work in progress.

Ignis was the one to operate the boat as the others lounged in the back. Prompto was snoozing on the front seat, taking comfort in the sea breeze. Behind him in the second bench, Gladio and Nyxia sat. They hadn't really exchanged a whole lot of words since she nearly threw herself off of the balcony, but nothing really needed to be said right now.

Both of them were stretched out on the bench, Gladio sitting upright with his arm hooked over the back of the bench. His other hand settled on her shoulder as she laid on him, half-asleep.

On occasion, her eyes would open as though she just had to make sure he was really there. As far as he was concerned, however, she was out like a light.

"We're almost in Altissia," Ignis said from the front of the boat, his gloved hands on the steering wheel. "That boating permit should be up here still..."

"You think they'll let us in?" Gladio asked.

"I see no reason they shouldn't. Ah. Here it is."

She felt the boat make a left turn across the water, though remained still and silent. Besides, it felt nice just to lay here, taking in his body warmth.

"We almost lost her for good," Gladiolus said suddenly, almost more to himself than to Ignis. "If I hadn't gotten out of that cell... I don't know what would have happened..."

"We are fortunate you were there for her, Gladio." Ignis was silent for a moment, then, he added. "She needs you now more than ever."

"I know."

Nyxia's eyes remained closed, and she hoped it had been enough to withhold a tear. She choked it back. Ignis may have been looking for a means to turn things around, but what if it was too late for her?

"We've never been out to Shirra," Gladio went on after a few minutes of silence. "What's out there?"

"Think of Galdin Quay, then take away the Mother of Pearl and replace it with a chain of bungalows. They recently completed The Boardwalk, and it's quite spectacular."

"You've been there?"

"No, but I know someone there who is able to give us a place to stay for a few days."

"Free of charge? It's good to have friends, isn't it, Iggy?"

"Indeed."

"Will we be meeting this friend of yours?"

"She runs the restaurant there. I've no doubt she is expecting us."

"She?" Gladio repeated, sounding amused. Boys will be boys. "Is she cute?"

Suddenly making her consciousness known, Nyxia slapped him on the knee playfully. She was pretty sure she saw him grin down at her, and in response, she couldn't help but do the same, though her eyes stayed closed.

"Well..." Ignis seemed hesitant on answering that question, which was a dead giveaway to the others.

"I think that's a _yes_ ," Gladiolus teased. Nyxia slowly sat up, pretending to yawn as if she had been sleeping all that time.

By the time they had arrived in Altissia, everyone was wide awake and eager to get off the boat. The city was mostly intact, though many people had fled as soon as the daemons invaded. However, seeing the arena completely destroyed made Nyxia feel a pain in her gut.

"Aranea said this was where my mother died," she said. "We laid her to rest with the king once she brought her back to Curia."

"That must have been very difficult, Nyxia," Ignis said sympathetically.

"Guess that makes you queen now?" Prompto said.

Nyxia looked down, her gut sicker than before. "Not much to be queen of, really."

"I heard a king say something very familiar," Gladio said, standing just behind her. "As royalty in Eos, you do what you can to protect all the people, not just your own."

"We'll stand by you through the whole thing, Xia." Prompto looked over at her. She smiled, thankful she hadn't been abandoned by those who truly supported her.

"Stop, guys. You're gonna make me cry."

She looked back to the rubble of the arena, and she felt as though the tears would come from her anyway. "I've never been to Altissia before," she said. "I remember when I was little, and my mother traveled here just after the Oracle's passing. I begged her to take me with her." She smiled sadly. "There was nothing worth seeing then, when Altissia was just a flooded laketown, but I was, like, ten years old and didn't know any better."

"Sheesh," Prompto muttered. "To think you were a little kid when we were evacuating all those civilians and Noct was trying to get Leviathan's blessing." He looked at Gladio. "That means she's, like, ten years younger than you."

"Where did you learn math?" Gladio playfully shoved him by the shoulder. "Thirteen years."

Ignis and Nyxia merely shared a look of confusion, shaking their heads as they walked after the other two. There weren't many people here - a few stragglers, but as of right now, Altissia certainly didn't look like a place for tourists and romance.

She wondered what Shirra had to offer.

"This friend of yours, what's her name?" Nyxia asked Ignis as they made their way to another gondola station.

"Evelina," he said, and somehow, Nyxia could just tell by the way he said the name that he was simply smitten with the girl. She restrained the urge to smile. The other guys seemed to notice it, too.

"Man, maybe it's time for me to go back to Hammerhead," Prompto muttered. They all knew what he meant by that. After all this time, he still hadn't mustered up the guts to ask Cindy out.

After a couple of hours of touring the beaten Altissia, they took their leave, but not without taking out a couple of daemons that they had found on their way back to the boat. It would be a longer trip to Shirra, and as Ignis once again took the wheel, Gladio and Prompto laid themselves down for a nap. Nyxia stood on the back end of the boat, watching as Altissia would shrink into a little speck in the dark.


	34. No Control

Nyxia hardly slept at all by the time they arrived in Shirra. She was leaving behind her home that was lost to the shadows, and though she knew she would return in time, she also knew that Ardyn would be keeping the seat warm for her, and that bothered her more than anything.

How long would it take for him to discover that she had chosen their side and not his? How much more would he torment her for it?

He terrified her, as she knew he was capable of destroying anything and everything good in her life. He had done a good job of it so far, taking her family away from her. How many other lives had he ruined for his own gain?

He'd certainly made it hell for her friends that stood by her now, that was for sure. She felt angry, then, she felt this unsettling stir in her gut, like a whirlwind in her tummy. She had to be careful not to feed the daemons...

She was stirred away from her thoughts when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Come on," Gladio said, and it wasn't until then that she had realized the boat stopped moving. "Let's get some food."

She walked with him onto the docks, his hand still on her far shoulder. Shirra was almost nothing but an illuminated series of connected docks, all which made up a town of private rooms to rent and a few, small shops. At the very end was the restaurant, Oceana, a pavilion that was significantly taller than the bungalows that branched off from the docks.

Nyxia hadn't partaken in a good meal in a long time. When word reached their ears that dinner was on the house, they all went nuts - well, save for Ignis, who delicately ordered a Seaside Fettucini.

Everyone else partook in platters. No one would have guessed it upon first looking at Nyxia, but she was a big eater when she wanted to be, and when it came to good seafood, she couldn't help herself.

"I'm sorry to say it, but this might just have Mother of Pearl beat." Prompto had a mouthful of grilled shrimp as he confessed.

After finishing his meal, Ignis politely excused himself, and they all pretty much guessed he was going to locate Evelina. The worries of the world seemed to dissipate as they talked, laughed, and ate good food.

After thirty minutes that only felt like five, Ignis returned with three slips of paper. "Four rooms, four nights." He gave one to each of them, having already kept one for himself.

The bungalows built over the water were all designed in similarity, but Nyxia was in bliss as she stepped into her own. Each room was spaced out just enough to provide the guests privacy. The suitcase sat on the foot of the king-sized bed.

The bed she was apparently expected to sleep in alone.

She tried not to think much about it. Besides, maybe this vacation of sorts was meant to help push all that negativity out of her to keep the daemons at bay.

She got a text message from Prompto, who seemed as excited as a child.

 _This bed is the best!_

After sending him back a laughing emoji, she closed the white curtains that served as the front door. The lights outside no longer seemed so bright, and she was able to change into a clean set of clothes without peering eyes.

Once she did, she took a step through the other doorway that was covered in drapes. Nyxia found herself standing on her own, personal deck with a couple of chairs and a table.

On the table was a menu for the restaurant, though immensely shrunken down to appetizers and drinks to be delivered to the room. All they needed was a phone call.

Nyxia entertained the idea of ordering herself some wine - something she hadn't really tried in a long time. Yet, she resisted. Alcohol, naturally, was not free of charge.

She knew it was bedtime, only because her cell phone told her it was a quarter past eleven. Not to mention, that humongous meal left her bloated and exhausted. She slept wonderfully that night, so deeply that she couldn't even recall dreaming.

The bed was so comfortable, she didn't even want to move from her spot when she heard the phone ringing. It was Gladio, and so she groggily answered it.

"Yeah?"

"Get up, sleepyhead. We're waiting on you."

"Huh? Where are we going?" She climbed out of the bed, lazily making her way to her suitcase to find a change of clothes.

"Just hurry up and meet us by the east gazebo."

"Okay, okay!" She hung up the phone, pulling on a simple change of black clothes. Instead of boots, she wore comfortable, running shoes with her black shorts. After all, the air actually felt a little warmer here in Shirra, and maybe if she found some time, she could jump in the water.

Too bad the sun wouldn't be out for a good while.

She went outside, following the dock path eastbound until she saw a gazebo in sight. She was sure that had to be the one he was talking about. However, as she got closer to it, she saw that Prompto and Ignis were nowhere to be seen. Gladio, however, was there, looking out over the clear waters with his arms crossed over his chest. Nyxia approached almost cautiously, as if she didn't really know what to do in this situation.

"Where are the others?" she asked, causing him to turn around and look at her.

"Just us two right now," he answered. "Got some breakfast, if you're hungry."

"Uh...sure." Nyxia helped herself to the fruit platter, nibbling at a strawberry. She wanted to ask if everything was okay, but instead, figured it was better to let him explain it at his own pace.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She wasn't expecting _him_ to ask first, but she supposed it was understandable. She had been through a lot.

"Yeah, I think so. Just kind of...weird."

He sat down on the round, cushioned bench that lined the gazebo. As he did, he patted the seat beside him. She sat down with him, unsure why being this close to him just made her feel safe. It used to be they were at each other's throats, but lately...

"What are you thinking right now?"

 _Way to put me in the spotlight, Gladio. Thanks._ "Well... I'm feeling guilty. Like it was my fault that things escalated the way they did with Ardyn. And it's my fault that I'm losing what light I have left inside of me."

Gladiolus tapped his fingers on his lap for a moment, thinking over her words. "Well, you're not wrong." He paused, "But you're not completely right, either. He's good at what he does. He had me fooled, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Rubia served him, and she came to me when I was held captive." Somehow, Nyxia didn't like where this was going. "She disguised herself to look just like you, and...I almost gave in. Until I drove that sword through her heart."

Surprised to hear Gladio had killed the succubus, she looked away from him. "Ardyn isn't so easy to kill."

"Clearly. That's what it means to be immortal." He lifted her chin gently to look her in the eyes. "I don't blame you. None of us do. Sure, I'm jealous, but it's not like I expected to be the first man you slept with." Then, he grinned. "You just have bad taste."

"Hey." She pouted, chucking the strawberry at his face. "What does that say about you?" Gladio smirked, his strong arms scooping her up from the chair as he would threaten to throw her into the water. _"Noooo!"_ she squeaked a giggle. "Don't you dare!"

But it was too late. Nyxia was tossed into the shallow water, which was a little cooler than she expected it to be. She squeaked and gasped as she came back up for air, watching as Gladio seemed to be helping himself to a bite of cantaloupe as he basked in his victory. She quietly maneuvered under the dock, waiting for when he would come back to the edge before she would yank him in by the ankles.

He yelped, both of them soaked down to their shoes as they resurfaced. "You crazy- _argh_!"

Nyxia was already making a swim for it back under the dock again, but he grabbed her by the back of her wet shirt. They were well-hidden beneath the gazebo, if they could manage to keep quiet, no one would ever know they were there.

Then, he kissed her fervently. Nyxia felt her breath catch in her lungs, and she melted in his arms as he pulled her in closer. Even in the cold water, she felt warm against him, and even moreso as the kiss would get hotter.

She moaned a little, then suddenly, she pulled away. Damnit... this wasn't helping her situation at all. She needed to be rid of this darkness, otherwise she would lose herself completely, and there would be no self-control.

"I can't... not yet. I don't want to hurt you..."

"Whatever you do to me, I can take it," he whispered against her chin. She bit her bottom lip, her body tightening in need. She wanted to give into it so badly. She wanted to feel him inside of her, to be spanked and pounded like he had done to her in the hotel.

And in turn, she wanted to tear her nails into his back, leave another couple of battle scars with a much more interesting story than the ones he already had.

"We should find the others," she growled, forcing herself to pull away from him. Perhaps she'd take him on that offer after she found a solution to her problem. Otherwise, she'd be another succubus walking Eos without remorse.


	35. Side Quest

Like Ignis, Evelina was also an avid learner in many fields of magic. When they weren't socializing in the bungalow she had designated for him, they were putting their heads together and sharing one another's thoughts on Nyxia's situation.

Ignis trusted her wholly with this information, and in return, he came to learn a lot of things. Nyxia had indeed made a grave sacrifice, but she had been fooled. The daemonic energy inside of her would be a great test of self-control, and she had already lost it once with Ardyn when he returned to her after his revival. That explained why the night had been prolonged, in a twisted, vague sort of way.

"The darkness is inside of her now, and he's feeding it by the oldest tradition known to mankind," Evelina explained to him. "As disturbing as it seems, his seed only makes it multiply, and as long as she listens to the lust, sadness, and anger, that daemon will continue to grow."

"So, what can be done about her condition?" Ignis asked.

"Bringing her here is a great start. It helps to clear her head, and the waters in the hot springs are therapeutic. Right now, she needs to know her friends are there for her."

Then, across the table, she handed him a piece of paper. "In the meantime, someone needs to gather these things for her."

Ignis looked at the list of handwritten ingredients she had given him. They had been sitting at this table in the restaurant for a couple of hours now, surrounded by more books than food. Every now and then, he spotted her scribbling something down on a scrap sheet of parchment; now, he understood.

The list didn't exactly consist of rare herbs, but not all of them would be found in one place. He would locate them himself.

"When you've gathered them, they need to be ground into a fine powder. Put it in her water or her food. Either way, it'll hurt like hell when it starts working. She might get sick, run fevers... you might even think she'll die, but if she's as strong as you say she is, she'll make it through this."

Ignis looked concerned. Never did he want to see Nyxia going through such pain. Seeing his reluctance, Evelina took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Ignis, if you want that girl to live, this recipe has to be followed to the most absolute precision. I know you can do it."

He nodded. "I am in your debt, Evelina." He savored the feeling of his hand in hers, but as she let go, he felt a certain emptiness again. She gave him an angelic smile.

"When you get back, maybe you can return the favor. If it takes you more than four days, I will accommodate them for as long as you need. Just keep me informed."

Ignis thanked her as they both got up from the table, finishing off his Ebony coffee before he watched her leave. He should have kissed her before she got away from him, but he would undoubtedly see her again.

For now, he needed to make his way to Lestallum. Hopefully, it wouldn't take him too long to find everything he required. As he boarded the boat, he gave Prompto a call. He was already vaguely aware that Ignis was not here for leisure, but for important business to help Nyxia. He needed the message relayed to the others that he would soon have a cure for her.

"Just make sure Nyxia doesn't worry. It's crucial that she doesn't lose herself to fear."

"You got it, Iggy!" Prompto said energetically from the other end. "I'll keep her busy."


	36. Surrender

Nyxia spent the majority of the early afternoon with Prompto, who was taking a lot of pictures of the resort. They had entertained the idea of going further into Tenebrae, though it was Prompto's idea to turn back. For some reason, he didn't seem to want to stray too far. Nyxia had to admit, she was looking for a distraction, and fighting off a horde of daemons was the best way to do it. She needed a good brawl. It had been a long time…

"Come on, Prompto. It'll be fun, like old times."

It took a little bit to convince him, but he gave in, and they traversed further into Tenebrae. The region was in the middle of redevelopment before night fell again, but they didn't have the needed protection against the darkness to continue with the work. The former kingdom was once a beautiful place. Nyxia never had the privilege to visit it before, but Prompto had assured her it was a glorious province when Lady Lunafreya was an active Healer. The tall towers of Fenestala Manor once stood tall, but now, there were no Tenebrean royalties to house if it was rebuilt. What was the point?

Not a soul was in sight. No daemons, no hunters… just darkness. It was easy to forget that just a couple of miles off was a pleasant getaway. Then, as they rounded an elevation of land, to their surprise, they found an imperial airship parked in the midst of some ruins. Nyxia paused, pretty certain she knew who it belonged to.

"Aranea?" Prompto murmured, echoing Nyxia's guess. Nyxia stepped inside cautiously. Since they got separated in Gralea, she hadn't seen her or heard word from her, but it looked as though she had gotten out somehow or another.

She wasn't in the craft, and so instead of hunting for daemons, Prompto and Nyxia instead started a search for Aranea. No doubt, she was probably fine on her own, but Nyxia was exceptionally curious as to what happened to her at the capital of the empire.

"It's been a while since I've seen Aranea," Prompto said. "You suppose she's gone back to hunting?"

"I would almost guarantee it." They trailed towards a set of woods, presumably a forest that branched away from Tenebrae, though it would take them even further from Shirra. Prompto seemed more adamant to find Aranea now once they had stumbled across her transportation.

They came across a few daemons along the way - nothing they couldn't handle, but the thrill of teaming up in a good fight was addictive.

However, the sound of fierce combat could be heard among the trees, sending them into a hurry in that direction. Nyxia felt a branch strike her across the face, but it did nothing to slow her down. Soon, Aranea could be seen taking on a nagarani. Memories came flooding back to Nyxia. She had come across such a creature before in the depths of Costlemark, back when she made solo missions to find the Necromancer's Gem. When it turned out she had bitten off more than she could chew, Aranea came to save the day.

Drawing her scythe, Nyxia joined in on the fray, and even Prompto seemed to share in her eagerness to get involved.

And Nyxia felt the need to kick some ass.

Once the serpentress collapsed to the ground in defeat, Aranea let out a huff and looked at them. "Well, not that I needed the assistance, but thanks anyway."

"Good to see you, too," Nyxia said, though before she could ask what happened to her in Gralea, Prompto butted in.

"It's been a while, huh?" he said, smiling. Oh, yeah. Prompto kind of had a thing for her, didn't he?

"Sure has, kid." She looked over at Nyxia. "How you holding up? I never heard from you after I got you out of Gralea."

She had completely forgotten about the text message she woke up to. She was supposed to call Aranea, but Nyxia had never gotten around to it. "Sorry. Things got a little weird..."

Aranea raised an eyebrow at her. "I was starting to think Her Highness might not have made it. I didn't even get a thanks."

Nyxia smiled apologetically. "Thank you, Aranea. For everything." She was rewarded with a slight, playful nudge.

"I'm kidding." She started walking back in the direction they came from. "So, what brings you two all the way out here?"

"Well," Prompto began, "we're kind of on vacation in Shirra, but we were curious about what was going on in Tenebrae lately."

"Shirra, huh?" Aranea said. "Shitty time to visit when there's no sun. Supposedly, it's really nice when covered in light - like a whole different world."

"Supposedly?" Prompto repeated.

"I haven't been there myself. I don't sunbathe."

Prompto opened his mouth to say something, then clamped it back shut. Nyxia thought she saw him blush a little. She smiled. "Come back with us," she offered. "The food is at least really good."

Aranea waved her hand dismissively. "Sorry, but I'm on the clock here. Daemons have been swarming in these parts, so I'm stationed here until their numbers are down." Then, as they reached the edge of the forest, she gave them a smile.

"Maybe next time, though."

"Maybe next time." Prompto said.

"Nyxia... Your Majesty," Aranea nodded to her. "You take it easy. I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks."

Once Aranea took off, Nyxia and Prompto made their way back towards the bungalows of Shirra. He had offered that they take a dip in the hot springs, but she was feeling a little tired. Fatigue still plagued her from time to time, and with her energy spent on traveling to Tenebrae and fighting off daemons, she was ready to call it a day.

They parted ways at the bungalows, and Nyxia took a few minutes to wind down on the back deck. The air was still quite comfortable, though she wished she would have been able to enjoy this place in its most glorious, bathed in warmth and light. As she sat in the white chair, she closed her eyes. She had almost started to doze off when she thought she felt eyes upon her.

She lifted her head, scanning around for a moment before she saw movement across the way. Further down the boardwalk, on the deck of another shack stood Gladiolus, though he was already turning away and retreating inside by the time she spotted him.

She wondered what he had been up to all afternoon, though hadn't exactly thought to ask. Thinking about him right now seemed to make it difficult to form words.

After a few minutes more, she went inside. She still needed to get changed, and as she took off her clothes, she found herself doing so slowly, as if she fantasized him watching her undress. It had been a long time since she had given in to her exhibitionistic desires. There were no curtains drawn open, but still, she felt a certain tingle of excitement as her fingertips brushed over her own skin.

She imagined him sitting in one of the chairs, placed in the corner of the room, amber eyes watching with an intensity that was both intimidating and arousing.

No, fuck... not _Ardyn_...

Gladio had the same-colored eyes as her first love... something she had never really realized until now. She shook her head a little, drawing out a change of clothes to slip into. A nightdress was slipped over her head, silk gliding over her flesh and making her quiver.

She forced away the imagery, then sharply pulled on a robe to follow. Once she had secured the ribbon around her waist, she climbed into the bed. A wind wafted the drapes, and as she laid herself down on the pillows, she realized she couldn't shake the feeling.

It had been a long time since she had touched herself. And what harm was there in doing that? It would likely keep her from doing anything stupid with someone else that might quicken the effects of the plague. Someone like Gladio.

Or Ardyn.

Or even both.

 _Gods, what the hell are you thinking, Nyxia?_

She growled in frustration. She had done some wild things in her relationship with Ardyn, admittedly, but never, _ever_ had she given herself to another at the same time. That had never even been a concept to either of them. She had never been curious about it before... not until...

 _No, don't even._ She ran her fingers into her hair, irritably grabbing at their black roots. It was ridiculous - a fantasy that was both impossible and utterly controversial. If anyone knew she as much as entertained the idea...

Yet, no one _had_ to know. She lowered her hands in defeat. In the privacy of this room, what harm would these forbidden fantasies do?

Her hands fell lower, legs parting until her fingers grazed in between. She inhaled through parted lips, her heart racing as she fondled herself. Her knees pointed further towards the walls, and the stretch of her muscles seemed to do something to enhance the feeling.

A moan emitted from her, and then, she instantly bit her lip. There weren't much for sound barriers. She reminded herself that she needed to be more subtle.

But it was too late.

The white curtain was pulled aside, and as Gladio's eyes peered into the dark room, Nyxia instantly sat up, her hands shooting away and into the sheets beside her.

"Gladio...wha..." She didn't even have the breath to finish. Typically, one would have expected her to be quite embarrassed, and she was, but it wasn't exactly terrifying.

In fact, that excitement grew.

He let the drapes fall back into place behind him, and at first, his expression was hard to read. Was he angry? Was he aroused? He approached the foot of the bed, and she had been about to say something when he suddenly grabbed her by the ankles and yanked her down the mattress, the white sheets scrunching beneath her.

"I can't stay away from you," he growled huskily, his hands hot on her thighs. "You're just going to have to deal with it..."

"Yeah, well... it's about time you came over here." She smiled up at him, and though her heart raced in a panic against her chest, she had never been so happy to see him. At first, Nyxia hadn't been sure if it would be such a good idea, but at this point, her lust raged so strongly, she just didn't care anymore. She needed to feel him inside of her.

Grinning, Gladio threw off his sleeveless jacket, as if taking that response as permission. Once he did, he pulled her to sit up, the two of them kissing vigorously. Nyxia moaned into his mouth, her fingers unfastening the silk ribbon that held her robe in place, though at this rate, not very securely.

"You should have called me," he breathed between kisses. "You know I would have been here in a heartbeat."

"Looks like you did fine on your own," she purred.

His hands seized hers, his grip surprisingly firm. "Next time, you'll let me do the work. Got it?"

There was that dominant side of him again. She had been itching to see it for a while now, and her imagination began to run wild as she thought of a way to urge it on.

Placing the ribbon in his hands, she gave him a sultry look. "There's only one way to ensure that..." she said in a low voice, scooting back from him a little. His eyes expressed he knew exactly what she was indicating, and so his response was impeccably quick. He mounted the bed, grabbing her wrists and using the tie to fasten her to the headboard of the bed once her knees dug into the mattress.

Nyxia gasped as a sharp pain erupted against her left, ass cheek. His firm hand left an echo of pink on her pale skin, leaving her quivering for more. Her fingertips squeezed into her palms, and as he struck her again on the other side, she emitted a moan of approval. There was another smack, one that was harder than before. The sting on her backside left a sensation on her flesh that was both itching and burning - like only another spank would help it feel better.

However, she was distracted by an immense pleasure as he drove his massive, hard shaft into her. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, having momentarily forgotten that she could easily be heard if she didn't control herself. As if he also made this realization, he covered her mouth with his hand. Nyxia whimpered in ecstasy as he pummelled into her, her breasts bouncing out from the top of her nightgown. She wanted it harder, faster, almost to the point that just the slams of his body on hers would redden her skin all the more.

"Nngh..." she heard him grunt quietly behind her. "So warm and wet..."

Nyxia sounded pleasure with him, though her noises were significantly quieter and muffled through his hand. As if he deemed she was still too loud, he shoved her upper body down, his hands pushing down on her shoulder blades. Her face was all but driven into the pillow, but somehow, her revelry only increased by the change in position.

Her body struggled slightly, not because she didn't like to be held down like this, but because she wanted to feel the helplessness. She got a strange kick out of this control, as she did the time before in the hotel room. She wanted to be forced into submission. She wanted pain. She wanted all of it.

Then, like a gust of wind, he would slap her rear end again. It was loud, and may as well have given them away if anyone was close to the shack. Gladio didn't seem to care at this point, and honestly, nor did she.

Tugging hard at the silky restraint, she felt the fabric begin to give. She was stronger than most, and though she wasn't trying to break out of the bonds, her instincts caused her to pull and squirm beneath his ferocious thrusts.

The silk shredded in two, sending her heavy arms to drop hard into the mattress. She cried out a little, her body shoving itself back into him.

Her muscles tightened around him. She was so close, she could feel her body starting to shake. Gladio pulled her up by her arms, his hands locating her generous breasts, and his breath tickling at her shoulder.

"Come for me..."

He knew she was close, and the speed of his thrusts suggested it. It was too hard to keep quiet, but she still fought back the screams of ecstasy. His hot words only stirred her faster to her peak, and then...

 _"Come for me."_

"Gladio..."

But the words that echoed in her ears didn't belong to him this time. Was it all in her head? Did Ardyn know what she was doing, or was she just that stuck on him?

 _"Now."_

She couldn't hold it anymore, no matter that she tried to focus on who was really in the bed with her. She cried out, albeit a bit too loudly, her form falling limp against Gladiolus as his thrusts continued, though not for very much longer.

She wished she had imagined it all, but she was certain she had heard the wicked laughter in the back of her mind, taunting her with the reminder that he was always there.


	37. Curia in Darkness

Ignis hadn't wanted to tread back into Curia so soon, but he only did so once he was certain that Ardyn was nowhere near the vicinity. He certainly didn't want another encounter with him, especially since he was not prepared to handle him on his own.

He had tried that once before, very shortly after his feud with Ravus in Altissia. That went less than well.

The furthest thing from his mind when he lost his sight was that thanks to a Curian princess, he would not be blind forever. She had taken months of her time during the Starscourge to find a cure for his ailment, but it wasn't until after the plague ended that the ritual was successfully performed. Thanks to Nyxia making a bold sacrifice, Ignis saw the sunlight for the first time in more than ten years. For that alone, he was willing to do just about anything for her.

Nyxia had been a good friend, despite her recent flaws. Not just to him, but to Prompto and Gladio, as well. The least Ignis could do was try to cure her ailments, in return.

That didn't necessarily mean what she had done while under Ardyn's stewardship was acceptable. He understood there was a complicated history between the two of them, though the details were mostly vague. Love made humans do erratic things. Even Ignis found himself realizing this through personal experience.

While Nyxia was a primary concern, Ignis frequently found someone else to be an incentive for him to get back to Shirra safely. Evelina was an intelligent, beautiful creature that had as big a heart as anyone could imagine. She wanted to help, and Ignis didn't want to let her down as he did his part.

When this was all over, he would ask her to take a trip with him. There was a food and wine festival in Lestallum that he was eager to partake in, and he guaranteed it would be something they could both enjoy together.

As Ignis approached the entrance of the palace, he noticed that there was one, imperial craft sitting a number of yards away. Suddenly, he was beginning to wonder if he might have been wrong in assuming that Ardyn was absent. He had magitek suits guarding the place in a military fashion. It was almost as bad as he remembered Insomnia during the Dark Days, though it didn't seem like daemons had reigned here just yet.

He made his way towards the gardens, remaining stealthy as he would stick to the shadows and slip by unnoticed.

The most peculiar thing about this whole scenario was that Curia was engulfed in night at 5 PM. It was far too soon for the sun to set, let alone to disappear from the sky completely.

He needed to get out as soon as possible. He had a terrible, unsettling feeling as he weaved through the maze-like foliage. It was too late to turn back now. While there was visibly no one here, he felt as if there were eyes on him at every corner turned. Ignis wasn't easily unnerved, but right now, anxiety filled him like air did his lungs.

In the depth of the gardens was the last ingredient. Curian peppers, which were more for ornamental purposes then they were edible, were are bright red and would be impossible to miss. However, it seemed this was the only place where they were able to be harvested.

As he spotted them in the darkness, just a few feet away from the central fountain, he leaned down to pick them. Just before he could pluck the second one, however...

"What a surprise to see you here, of all the places."

Damn. He had caught him red-handed. Carefully, Ignis rose with the two peppers in his gloved hands, holding them up to show he had no desire to fight.

"Of all the places?" he repeated, looking over his shoulder. He caught a glimpse of Ardyn's cloak billowing in the breeze - not that he needed a confirmation that that was who had cornered him. "And what, pray tell, makes Curia so important to you?"

"I have many fond memories here, though you might not believe it. It also appears it has many valuable resources. Did know that Curian electricity was used to keep back the daemons? When it was converted, it could be used instead to create much more powerful beasts out of the citizens."

So, that's what he did to the surviving Curians. They weren't coming back, and that left Nyxia really with no kingdom to rule when things went back to normal.

"The Accursed hasn't altered his motives, I see." Carefully, he pocketed the ingredients.

"On the contrary, my motives still remain. She just added to them."

Ignis turned to face him, clenching his fists. "Nyxia was a fool to ever trust you, and you're a fool to think she would fall for your trickery again."

"Perhaps, but it most certainly entertains me to watch you boys grind your teeth over her. She always was a handful. Wouldn't it be easier to just give up?"

"Don't be ridiculous. We do what we can for her because we made an oath."

Ardyn only smiled, but he recognized it to be a sadistic grin. "And you never wish you hadn't?"

Ignis paused briefly. He never did think it, even if Gladiolus may have had his uncertainties. Life may have been easier, if he turned down King Cingarus's request to aid his daughter. Yet, he no doubt would feel guilty if things panned out that way.

"Not once," he said firmly. In his hands, his imbued daggers appeared. He knew what he was trying to do. Ardyn was using mind tricks to try and get him to surrender the queen, but there was no way in hell it would come to that.

In the blink of an eye, however, The Usurper disappeared. The flash of movement had Ignis thinking he must have gone behind him, but as he looked around, he was nowhere to be seen.

"It doesn't matter," his voice rang from all directions. Ignis's grip tightened on the hilts of his blades. "You might want to hurry. Even now, her daemons are licking their lips. They're hungry, and they might be fed soon..."

Ignis knew Ardyn was less dishonest than he was just downright sneaky, so he heeded the warning. Nyxia was under a powerful spell, and leaving her alone for too long wasn't the best of ideas.

He feared he might already be too late. He should have taken Gladio with him, but her safety was more certain with him in Shirra. Now, he could only hope there was still a chance to bring her back.


	38. The Light That Blinds

Nyxia was stirred from her sleep by a gentle breeze. It felt nice, that all she wanted to do was sleep. She turned her head, her body stretching across the bed. For a moment, her eyes opened, but they immediately closed again, overwhelmed by the brightness in her eyes.

She grunted, pulling the pillow over her head. It wasn't until she heard Gladio's voice beside her that her mind cleared.

"Xia, get up."

She sat up with a start, rubbing her eyes. "Wait...did I just see...?"

"Yeah," he said, and he seemed to be smiling. It was hard to tell, as he was so engulfed in sunshine. It felt warm, and she slowly stood up. As she walked with him to the deck, she felt his hand against her back. Pulling her draped robe over her shoulder, she looked in disbelief at the glittering, blue waters of Shirra. It was... absolutely beautiful.

"Is this real?" she murmured. She had to be dreaming. It just didn't make sense.

"I wondered that, too. It seems like it. I was going to call Ignis and find out what's up."

"Maybe he might know what's going on," she murmured. "Something can't be right." It had to be another one of Ardyn's mind tricks. Her stomach did a backflip at the reminder of Ardyn and his sly involvement in last night's rendezvous with Gladio.

While he made the phone call, Nyxia returned inside to start the shower. She felt all sorts of dirty and couldn't even be sure if she liked it or not. A part of her felt maybe she just needed more of Gladio to get her mind off of her past lover. The other part deemed it completely hopeless.

Once she stepped under the hot, steaming water, she closed her eyes. The droplets hit her skin, almost painful upon impact at first, but it felt nice, at the same time. Not in a sexual way, just relaxing.

"He says it's light out in Lestallum, too. Not sure what to make of it just yet. Says it's hot as usual, though." Gladio's voice sounded from the doorway. She hadn't even noticed that he stood there.

"Yeah?" she answered curiously. So, was Ardyn wrong? Or did he once again lead her astray?

"And speaking of..." As she was dampening her hair, she watched Gladio come closer through the corner of her eye. There was no door or curtain to separate the two of them. As he joined her under the showerhead, his hands taking her hips, Nyxia was surprised. He kissed her fervently, but she was giggling as she pulled her head back.

" _Gladio_! You're still wearing pants!"

"Hm? Oh... Guess I should do something about that." He grinned, his fingers falling to the button of his trousers, though he was quickly thrown into panic mode from the voice in the main room.

"Xia? You in here?"

It was Prompto. Nyxia fought back a laugh, covering her mouth as Gladio growled irritably and adjusted himself before leaving her alone to her shower.

As he left the bathroom and the drapes fell in place behind him, she could hear Prompto's surprised exclamation. "Gladio? You shouldn't be in here."

"And _you_ should be?"

"Uh, well... I figured she'd want to see what was going on outside. And here you are, too..." Then, his voice dropped, but Nyxia could no longer distinguish the words. Something about his pants being wet, she was pretty sure.

"None of your business."

"There was a problem with the shower, so he came to fix it," she called out to him, covering Gladio's poor cover-up.

"Oh. Okaaaay." There was no way he was buying that. Prompto wasn't born yesterday. "Well, I'll go grab some food. See you guys there?"

"In a bit. I need to change." Gladio huffed. There was a minute of silence, then, the curtain was pulled aside, and he was hurried peeling his pants off before he would rejoin her. "Now, where were we?" He playfully grabbed her, boxing her against the ceramic tile. Nyxia giggled, more spirited than she was flirtatious. Suddenly, he was placing kisses down the front of her body, sinking lower and lower until his lips were teasing along her lower abdomen.

Well, this took an immediate turn. Her laughs faded into a soft, elated sigh, and she leaned her back into the wall as he lifted her leg over his shoulder.

Suffice it to say, breakfast came a little later than expected, or sooner, depending on how one looked at it. She was almost giddy as they made it to the restaurant, joining Prompto at the table. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet. Nyxia was fine with this. It made it a little less weird when she wasn't surrounded by a bunch of people - especially considering they would probably recognize her as the Curian queen.

Her heart sank a little bit.

"You suppose everyone knows what happened in Curia?" she asked.

"I doubt it," Gladio said, even Prompto was shaking his head as he swallowed down his bacon.

"I think if they did, they'd be throwing Gladio in chains. Unless they knew it wasn't him."

"I'm glad you guys figured it out."

"That's only because Iggy thought it first. We know you too well, big guy. Just like I know you aren't a plumber."

For a moment, Nyxia didn't understand this, but after Gladiolus snickered, she caught on.

No one said anything more about the topic. Thankfully, the brief silence was interrupted as the waitress brought breakfast plates for Gladio and Nyxia. Then, Prompto's phone started going off.

"Iggy, hey. Yeah, we're all here, eating breakfast. You're missing out, buddy!" There was a pause. "Uh-huh. Really?" By now, the other two were more interested in what Ignis had to say than eating their food. They simply watched and listened in anticipation.

"Thanks, Iggy. That's fantastic news. I'll let her know."

Nyxia was on the edge of her chair. As soon as Prompto finished the call, she spoke up. "What did he say?"

"He has everything and is coming back this way. He just has to make a stop on the way."

"Did he say where?" Gladio asked.

"No, but he said it was for that last ingredient."

"Well, shouldn't be too long," Gladiolus said. "Probably tomorrow, we should expect him to be back. Until then, let's eat."

Nyxia had lived much of her life in darkness. After the ten years she endured the Starscourge, she had cried. She was full of mixed emotions, but this time, she was ecstatic. After they let their breakfast settle, they spent the majority of the day exploring the shops on the boardwalk. Prompto frequently trailed off to take some pictures or look at other things that caught his interest. Sometimes, it gave the lovebirds a minute to themselves.

There was this light euphoria, something that felt like it might have been more than just a silly infatuation.

She had given her heart once before, and it had been hurt badly.

...But Gladio wouldn't do that to her, would he?

She enjoyed their time together, nonetheless. He had even bought her a spiked, leather jacket that she had been wild about the moment she tried it on. She had been ready to pull the money out of her own pocket, but he insisted he would take care of it.

He was just a big, teddy bear with a bigger heart sometimes. Even Iris had said that at one point.

Dinner eventually came around, and though it felt a little strange without Ignis, they enjoyed every bite on their plates. Nyxia chose baked scallops tonight, and she wished more than anything she could get Ignis's input on all of the ingredients.

Eventually, her phone had vibrated in her back pocket. She pulled it out to see it was a text from Gladio, though he was only just across the table from her.

The second I get you alone, I wanna nail you into that bed.

Nyxia bit her bottom lip, though she had to cover her mouth with her napkin just to hide it from the third wheel. Poor Prompto. She wouldn't pity him so much if he at least had a girlfriend.

Dinner was accompanied with a beautiful sunset, as well as a couple of fleeting, flirtatious glances shared between the two of them. Nyxia couldn't help herself anymore. Feeling her most devious since they sat down, she rode her foot discreetly up his leg all the way up to his crotch. Gladio jumped a bit, and she felt his hand grab onto her ankle beneath the long tablecloth. Prompto seemed genuinely confused.

"You okay, Gladio?"

"Just...had an itch." He gave her a firm stare, not that he was necessarily angry, but it was just the reaction she was looking to get. Nyxia smiled angelically, casually getting up once he had released her.

"I'm so full," she said with a sigh. "Think I'll walk it off before I call it a night. You guys sleep tight!" She gave Gladio a lingering glance, smiling before she would hurry off. She knew he wouldn't be far behind, if he could manage to tear away from Prompto.

She returned to her bungalow, unable to help but feel quite smug as she peeled off the jacket. She draped it over the back of a chair, and she contemplated whether or not she should prepare herself or simply wait.

She pulled out her phone, sending him a text to add onto the tension.

I might have to touch myself if you don't hurry up and get here.

She took a moment to freshen up while she waited. It didn't take long for him to respond, and it actually made it difficult for her to not keep to her word.

If you do, I might have to tie that ass down again...

She couldn't help but squirm a bit as she set the phone down on the bedside table. She wanted to get a head start just to tempt him.

Ten minutes passed, and though Nyxia was trying to keep herself occupied with trivial stuff around the room, between tidying up and looking out through the window, she was counting down every minute that ticked by.

Finally, she was about to give in when he completely caught her off guard. She was lying face-first on the bed when she was suddenly whipped around and onto her back. For a moment, it startled her. Then, she grinned.

"It's about damn time."

"He just wouldn't stop talking," Gladio growled, but he was quick to lock his lips with hers before he would trail down her neck. "I see you've behaved."

Nyxia chuckled, leaning back her head. "I almost didn't. Getting held down did sound pretty tempting."

"You like that, huh?" he replied mischievously, grabbing her wrists and pinning them down into the bed. Nyxia bit her lip suggestively. Gladio seemed to stir when she did. "I love it when you do that." He positioned her arms so that he could hold her down with one hand, his other brushing his thumb over her lip. She welcomed another kiss, almost smiling as he gently tugged at her lip instead. He was more playful than the first couple of times they had been intimate - when there really was no intimacy, just aggression.

Now, there actually seemed to be real emotion in it. But it left Nyxia with questions she was afraid to ask. Gladiolus was always known to be a ladies' man. Was she just another notch in the bedpost to him?

"What is this to you?" she asked genuinely, and at first, he seemed confused.

"What?"

"Is this just another fling to you?" she clarified.

Gladiolus suddenly sat up, looking taken aback by the sudden change of mood. "Why are you bringing this up now?" he inquired. "Just a minute ago, you were begging for it. You never complained before."

"Gladio, just tell me."

"Look at how this whole thing started, ever since the hotel," he insisted. "It isn't exactly romantic, is it?"

Nyxia sat up as well, holding her knee to her chest. "So... it's just a fling." Her stomach turned. She was stupid to think it could possibly be anything more. She honestly couldn't even be sure if she felt that way with him. She was grasping for something out there...someone that wouldn't pretend to love her just to destroy her.

Irritated, Gladio stood up. "Yeah. Just a fling." With the mood completely destroyed, the two of them couldn't even look at each other. Nyxia didn't just want what he had to offer. She wanted more than that. She had thought maybe the gifted jacket was a sign that they were onto something.

But perhaps that was just Gladio being nice. At least he was honest. Perhaps that was better than what Ardyn had done.

He left the shack without another word, leaving Nyxia alone to her thoughts. Most girls might have cried, but she didn't. Somehow, it was something she already knew the whole time. Maybe he cared for her, but that wasn't the same thing as love.

Sleep was hard to come by that night, but come the first rays of the sun, she got a text message. She jumped up from the bed. Maybe it was him, telling her he was wrong and that he was sorry.

No such luck.

Are you awake?

It was Ignis.

Yeah, what's up? she replied.

He had returned with everything he needed. He told her he and Evelina would soon be there to begin the cleansing process. She had to admit, she was pretty nervous, but it was something that needed to be done, and in the end, she'd be much happier.

She waited in silence, still bothered by her conversation with Gladio, and how everything seemed to collapse. Finally, tears finally did fall, but in silence.

In about thirty minutes, she heard Ignis outside of the shack. "Nyxia?"

"Come in."

They both came in, Evelina holding a book and a bag with some of the ingredients. Ignis held another bag, which seemed to have everything else they needed.

"Oh, no," Evelina murmured, and Ignis was quick to see it, too. "Nyxia...?"

She was sitting on the bed, unsure of why they were behaving with such panic. Ignis hurried beside her. "We need to act quickly. It's accelerating."

"What are you guys talking about?" Nyxia asked. However, she was given no explanation as Ignis pulled out everything in his bag, adding ingredients to a mortar and grinding it up to a finely-crushed consistency. Meanwhile, Evelina was prepping other ingredients to help speed up the process.

"What is going on!?" Nyxia demanded angrily. She hadn't even noticed the disortion in her projected voice, but the others did.

"There's black on your face, like you've been crying ink..." Evelina said, looking up at her. "The curse is spreading rapidly. We need to hurry. Ignis, I'll get her some water. It's all we have time for."

"Go, quickly." Ignis rotated the pestle, adding the rest of the herbs into the mortar and mashing it all together. Nyxia stared at them, her body feeling paralyzed. Did her emotional pain cause this? Why did Gladio have to make things worse? She clenched her fists, her anger stacking like a forest fire.

Evelina returned with a cup of water, and as the concoction was created, Ignis came up beside her. "Nyxia, I won't lie to you. This is going to be painful. I need you to try and be as calm as possible."

"No!" she screamed, her arms thrashing at him. "Get away from me!"

"Ignis... we need to hold her down. She's beyond cooperation."

"Of course it couldn't be bloody simple," he sighed. Ignis grabbed her flailing arms, holding her down as best as he could. Nyxia's screams became more inhuman as she fought, so much that she couldn't even distinguish who was who any more.

A pair of stronger hands held her kicking feet down. All she could see was hellfire and darkness, all in a vortex of pain and hate. She screamed again, though this time, she began to choke as a foul, liquid taste filled her mouth. She had no choice but to swallow it down as a hand forced her mouth to remain shut.

Her body convulsed and twitched, and the voices that surrounded her were beyond comprehension, as if she was submerged.

More of the repulsive potion was poured into her mouth. By now, her stomach was beginning to burn, as if she had swallowed acid. It felt like hundreds of daggers were stabbing her from the inside out.

"...almost done...one more..."

Ignis's words sounded so far away, but as the last of the cup was swallowed down, Nyxia was certain she was going to throw it all back up. She coughed and gagged, and the pain only intensified like a lavaflow in her gut. Tears streamed down the sides of her face and into her hair.

It felt like an eternity of pain, but as it finally began to subside, she was tired. She remembered a hand in her hair. Gladio? She thought she heard him whisper to her in comfort, letting her know he was there.

But yet, it was probably just a dream.


	39. The Scent of Amberwood

_"I won't let them hurt you. Not anymore."_

Ardyn's voice echoed in her head, somewhere from within the darkness of her mind. It was all she could remember when she woke up.

As the sun beamed through the window, Nyxia knew she had to have been asleep for longer than just one night. Her phone battery was dead, and so she had no way to check what time or day it was.

There was no one in the room with her.

Next thing she noticed was the blackened spots on the bed, as though someone had poured paint onto it and left it to dry. It was all over her clothes.

As she went to climb out of the bed, however, she realized how weak she was on her feet. She needed to use the furniture in the room as a crutch just to get to the bathroom.

She couldn't even stand in the shower. Once the hot water was on, Nyxia sank to the floor, not even getting as far as to remove her clothes. She was so tired, so sore...

Then, suddenly, she felt ready to vomit. Her stomach tightened, then, black muck sprayed onto floor of the shower stall. The pain in her stomach returned again, as though daemons were literally trying to claw their way out of her. She cried out in agony, her body curling up into a ball on the ceramic floor. Even as the water washed away the bile, more kept coming, each heave more painful than the last.

 _Please...make the pain stop..._

Her body trembled and jerked. The episode seemed to go on for another hour, though it felt longer. Her stomach settled, even though a dull pain remained as an echo, as if she had been kicked hard in the ribs. She laid there on the floor, the water tapping on her body as she began to doze off.

Then, she felt weightless, her body being lifted from the ground. The warmth of the whoever that held her...right now, that was all she wanted to feel. It was better than the pain she was going through because of that medicine.

Her eyes closed, and her head rested against a heartbeat.

 _"I have you. They can't hurt you anymore."_

The voice belonged to her greatest daemon, yet it lulled her to sleep before she could even stop herself.

Hours must have passed by the time her eyes had opened again, as it was nighttime. However, she found herself in a place she didn't recognize. The large bed beneath her was dark in color, much like the rest of the room around her. Everything was gray, white, and black, as if she had been plunged into a world without color.

She realized how ridiculous that was when she saw she was wearing a clean, black dress tinted with red underneath its top layer of tulle. She didn't really ask questions. She had a pretty good idea who had initiated all of this, but she still didn't know where she was.

However, as she stepped out onto the balcony, that question had also been answered.

All around the tall building she was in, there were a bunch of city buildings, many of which were in ruin. It was like Curia on a much larger scale, except that rubble and destruction seemed to be the theme here.

 _Insomnia._

She had been here once before. Back when the earth was cast in shadow, she had been assigned one mission here to destroy an imperial base. It had been a few years since she saw it, but it hadn't changed a whole lot since. In fact, the bases still seemed to stand tall.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Ardyn's voice cooed behind her from within the room. Nyxia tensed, but she didn't turn around to look at him.

"Why did you bring me here?" she demanded.

"My dear... I told you we would return home. We have much to do, you and me."

"I'm not your pet anymore," she sneered, staring out at the landscape. "I'm not cursed, and I am most definitely not your _dear."_

"If that's true, then look at me when you say it."

Nyxia saw movement in the corner of her left eye. By reflex, she drew her staff, eyes narrowed angrily as she aimed its head at his face. She hated him with every fiber of her being. She despised him further for making her still feel anything more than hate.

Once again, she was left with a dilemma. Who was she fighting for in this empty world? How many times had she let herself and others down? How many times had she been shunned by people she trusted, abandoned just because she wasn't strong enough?

Ardyn never left her. Not deliberately, at least. They both knew this. Even deep within, her daemons had still not fully left her. The cleansing process was still in motion, but it wasn't too late to turn it back around.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Why?" she asked, her grip tightening on her rod. "After everything, after all of this time, why can't I stop?"

"You were cursed the very second you started loving me." Ardyn reached up to her face, and though she knew she should have pulled away, she didn't. "It wasn't my intention at the time."

"I...think I know that."

"My greatest desire was to believe you were right - that I could be a decent man. I wanted to prove that to you, and I never could."

"Ardyn..." Why did it feel like her heart was breaking all over again? Indeed, once upon a time, she had been naive to the fact that he was the prophesied Accursed. Yet, knowing he was the imperial chancellor, she had been gullible, all because of some sappy thing called love.

She closed her eyes, and the staff in her hands disappeared. Old habits were hard to break, and she was realizing that now. As she did, she felt rain pat down on her head. It was chilly, but he pulled her in closer, wrapping her in his overcoat and tightly against her.

This right here...this was the Ardyn she originally fell for.

"So...what happens now?" she asked him, unable to help but savor his scent. Even as the rainfall hardened, amberwood and vanilla lingered in the air.

"You make a final decision."

It might have been vague, but Nyxia knew what he meant. She had been ricocheting between him and her friends ever since he took her. She knew now there was nothing good to come out of returning to the others. Gladio didn't care about her. He made that perfectly clear. Prompto and Ignis... they tried, but just not hard enough. All she had left was to simply face it and embrace it.

By now, the rain was hammering like static noise. Maybe she was doing this out of fear, or maybe she really wanted more to come out of this. Maybe she just wanted to feel something aside from hurt. Still, as she pulled him in and crushed his lips with her own, it was realized that her daemons were strong enough to survive that foul concoction.

But in the grand scheme of things, her daemons played well with his. They always had.

She felt his hands glide across the small of her back. Just the kiss alone and the unity of their bodies made her feel enlivened. He lifted her from the ground, propping her on the edge of the balcony. For a moment, she panicked that he might throw her over, but something within told her he wouldn't possibly do that. His grip on her hips was tight, and as they continued to kiss, Nyxia dropped her dress from her shoulders, letting it sink past her breasts and about her hips.

The cool rain and the wind caused her skin to prickle, but somehow, it only increased the sensation. With the entire, city ruins of Insomnia at her back, Nyxia took him inside of her again. No one was there to watch, and the magitek suits at the bases certainly weren't consciously aware.

The cool precipitation sprinkled along her exposed body. Her hair clung to her wet skin, anywhere between her face and her back.

She never came so hard in her life, save for the orgasms that followed afterwards that were equally as intense. They didn't stay on the balcony for long, but drenched from the rain, they had retreated inside. Nyxia quivered as she was pinned into the wall face-first, her hands pressed into it as her cries of pleasure filled the bedchamber. Her nails dragged into the paint, peeling streaks in their wake.

Then, quite abruptly, he stopped.

Nyxia gasped as he withdrew from her, though her body was spun around, and her back slammed into the wall. "I still haven't received an answer," he cooed against her ear. She trembled, her estrogen levels absolutely through the roof as she tried to grasp for words.

She would say anything he wanted for him to keep going. Even if he wanted her to sing (and as far as she was concerned, she made a terrible singer), she would do it. It probably took more than just words to convince him, and so she sank to her knees, her voice softer than the pummelling rainfall outside.

"I choose you," she breathed against his member, which was still coated in her juices. Her tongue traced its length, and though the flavor of her own sex didn't exactly excite her, she went to the next step to now ensure his satisfaction. She felt Ardyn's fingers in her hair, while his other hand pressed into the wall behind her. A moan sounded in her throat as she sucked him, sending a small vibration through his skin.

She had chosen to do the right thing, it seemed, as he reacted quite positively to it. She thought for sure he might release then, but he yanked her back up to her feet, fingers grasping at the roots of her hair, pinning her into the wall again. This time, he pulled her legs around him as he would thrust into her again. Her back rocked into the wall repeatedly, likely bruised from the slams, but it felt good.

Nyxia must have reached her peak twice now by the time he had thrown her onto the side of the bed. Her body bounced atop the mattress upon the collision, her ankle draped over his shoulder as he took her again. The change in position gave her a different sensation that was just as satisfying as before.

Soon, her lower body felt as though it was injected with liquid fire. It was incredible, though she knew what it truly meant. More and more, he would fuck her until the sun rose. And more and more, the curse would take her until there was no trace of Nyxia Chantieri left.


	40. Mine

Nyxia had never seen Insomnia _before_ its downfall, but she remembered once hearing from her father that it was glorious. It was the heart of Lucis, and even now, it held great influence, even in the hands of The Accursed.

The storm had roared throughout the entirety of the next day. Nyxia witnessed the clouds whipping through the skies as she stood on the same balcony, confined to the room while Ardyn attended to important matters. He mind whirred with struggling emotions - had she made a mistake giving into him? What would come next?

What more, she had heard mention of a ceremony, something that would bring Lucis and Curia together, and though Nyxia hadn't heard the word yet, she was fairly certain she knew what it meant.

She was to marry Ardyn. With the two of them sitting their thrones, what better way was there to make their alliance official and ultimately make him stronger?

She had higher hopes for her first marriage, but young women always had silly fantasies of ideal, wedding ceremonies. She always wanted a horse carriage to ride in on, and the tables would be lined with delicious foods. She would wear a long, flowing dress with a cathedral veil, and her bouquet would cascade almost to the ground. She would have been madly in love with her husband-to-be.

Somehow, she doubted she would get all of that, now.

With no cell phone to connect her to the outside world, she had asked one of the MTs to retrieve a laptop. Thankfully, she wasn't so much a prisoner here, as the magiteks had been instructed to give her anything she asked for...within reason. It seemed they were reprogrammed to do more than just kill and defend, which was useful to her.

She spent a couple of hours alone just exploring the browser and listening to music. It more or less kept her mind occupied, even though the strangeness of the whole scenario did still remain in the back of her mind.

She eventually had dozed off in the bed, the laptop still opened beside her as she gave into boredom and fatigue.

She knew she was dreaming when she found herself in the bed of the motel she had stayed at with Gladiolus. The room seemed deserted, except she heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Soon, it stopped. As the door opened, hot steam emitted from the shower and out into the room, soon broken through as Gladio would come out with a white towel wrapped about his waist.

His skin was still glistening from his shower, wet and oddly enticing. Nyxia swallowed, sitting up in the bed.

"What, like what you see?" he asked casually.

Of course she did. Yet, somehow, she couldn't seem to find words, as if she was under some sort of strange spell that disabled her from talking.

"Then, do something about it." Gladio was blunt as he stood there at the foot of the bed. She rose to her feet, though not exactly to move towards him. She was actually resisting, unsure of what to think of this fantasy.

He walked towards her, as if he was tired of waiting. He grabbed her hand, guiding it towards the towel where his erection protruded as clear as day, creating a tent. She bit her lip, feeling the thickness in her hand. All she could think about now was how good it would feel inside of her.

There was a certain reluctance, but her self-awareness told her there was no harm in anything she did here. None of it was real, after all.

Nyxia pulled away the towel and discarded it, caution thrown to the wind as she felt over his slick abs. Her hands slid lower, one grasping at his cock as the other would move a little further to cup his sack. He growled pleasurably, the erotic sound exciting her even further.

She felt his hand push down on her head, guiding her to sink to her knees in front of him. Following his lead, she replaced her front most hand with her mouth, guiding her lips along the large length of his shaft, almost as far as she could go without gagging. Even still, she got this small thrill just by taking him that far in.

"Enjoying yourself?"

The question didn't come from Gladio. In fact, it seemed she had a devious voyeur sitting in the chair nearby, watching intently. Ardyn didn't even seem angry or jealous... just detached.

Gladiolus, on the other hand, seemed simply oblivious to the fact that there was anyone else in the room.

"I seem to recall you having quite the appetite. You might want to save room for more."

Strangely, his words enticed her, as dirty as it made her feel. It was only a dream, after all. Whatever she allowed to happen, there would be no consequences. She moaned a little, the muffled sound really being all she could manage right now. Her eyes watched Ardyn as he simply sat, his ankle crossed over his opposite knee, and the side of his finger brushing back and forth over his mouth, as if observing her closely. His wickedly suggestive eyes made her wet between her thighs, to the point that she wanted to touch herself at the same time.

"Go on," Ardyn encouraged her, as if he knew. "I'd love to see your wildest fantasies. Show me _everything_."

His silky words ruined her self-control. Her knees scraped against the carpet, spreading apart and allowing herself room to slip her hand under the black and blue lace of her panties. She moaned, her fingers smearing the sticky-sweet substance along her folds. All the while, her mouth never left Gladio's member, still eagerly bobbing forward and back.

She closed her eyes, though she could feel Ardyn's presence move through the room as she pleasured her other lover. She could feel a firm hand at the back of her head, gripping possessively at her hair, and for a split moment, it got to the point where she couldn't tell whose it was.

Ardyn crouched behind her, pulling her head back and whispering against her ear. "If anything could happen right now that your body so desperately desired..."

The open sentence was both bizarre and shocking, but Nyxia felt her sex throbbing in response to the idea. His fingers replaced hers, feeling a dramatic increase in her sultriness. He likely already knew what it was she was entertaining in her mind, but she didn't want to admit it out loud. It was far too embarrassing.

"One just isn't enough, is it?"

Piercing her lower lip with her teeth, she shut her eyes. She didn't want to say it, but right now, he was absolutely right. She had never entertained being intimate with two men before. Were her daemons really that lecherous?

She felt a pair of fingers fill her, and a whine of pleasure escaped her.

"Is that ratification?" he asked, eager for confirmation. Again, Nyxia moaned, her hips bucking slightly as his fingers played at her sex.

"Yes..." she surrendered, her body feeling hot with both embarrassment and arousal; yet, she couldn't say yet which overpowered the other.

"Such an entrepreneur," Ardyn purred, casually getting up and removing his outer layers. After discarding a number of clothes, he returned to the chair. As she looked over at him with heavy breaths, she could tell he was waiting for her to come to him. Having seen he had removed his shirt as well, Nyxia tried not to show so much eagerness in unfastening his trousers and freeing him. While he wasn't as buff as the man behind her, Ardyn had a nicely toned figure that almost no one ever had the pleasure to see. After all, underneath all that fancy garb, he kept it well hidden.

The taste of Gladio was still on her tongue as she dropped to her knees in front of Ardyn, sucking him hungrily and pumping him with her mouth. There was an increase in her efforts, his fingers against her skull emboldening her to give it all she had. She felt a pair of hands on her hips as Gladio worked to remove her undergarment. After she complied, he had positioned himself behind and beneath her, knelt on the ground before he would push himself into her. Nyxia's mouth opened wider as she gasped, her moans muffled by the large member still in her mouth. She whimpered as Gladio fucked her from behind, his hips repeatedly smacking her backside.

Her fingernails dragged at Ardyn's pinstriped pants, unable to withhold her unbelievable rapture. She wanted to come over and over again, and for the two of them to fill her in every fuckable orifice. Even her ass wanted something inside of it.

Behind her, she could hear Gladio's groans, and in front of her, there came the occasional sound of ecstasy from the other. Nyxia felt like a slut for giving into this, but at the same time, why should she deny herself her darkest fantasies in a dream world?

Then, she felt Gladio's thumb drive itself into the only other hole that wasn't getting attention. She pulled back from Ardyn as a wave of powerful pleasure knocked her back. She was unable to control her body to keep it from bouncing back, riding the thrusts being driven into her.

"Come for me," Ardyn grabbed her by the chin, leaning in as he watched her thrive in her ecstasy. "And when you do, it'll be my name you scream."

That odd, arousing sense of submission took hold on her as she gasped and cried in delight. She felt her muscles clench around Gladio's pulsing member, her body telling her it wouldn't be able to keep back much longer. She spent that small window of time that she had left to elicit more pleasure from Ardyn with her hand. Keeping a steady rhythm was becoming more and more difficult, then...

"Yes... oh, _yes_!" she yelled, her fingers gripping harder at his thighs. "Oh, Ardyn!"

"That's what I wanted to hear." He brushed his thumb over her quivering lips as she reached paramount bliss. Gladio had filled her with his cream at the same time, still seemingly unaware of the influence in the room, nor that she had even cried out another man's name.

"What else slithers in that devious mind of yours, my pet?" Ardyn asked. Nyxia tried not to think too much about her other, unexplored desires. While this was all merely a dream, it felt so real, and the humiliation lingered, nonetheless.

"We'll be husband and wife soon. You should be upfront with me."

Yet, her daemons were tattletales, and they told him everything.

"Ah, of course..." He seemed to see something in her betraying eyes that suggested something more taboo than a threesome. She felt his hand brush the small of her back, then, it trailed up, up, until it reached the back of her neck. Then, there was a tight squeeze that alarmed her. Reminded that this was still all in her head, she coaxed herself.

"You're not going to hurt me..."

"Not unless you ask me to."

Nyxia paused, as though she was considering the offer. A part of her wanted to fight him off, but curiosity was slipping through like a wrench in the gears. Despite feeling vulnerable, she stood up and stood her ground.

"Why would I want to do that?"

Ardyn grabbed her by her hips, forcing her to turn her back to him as he remained perched on the arm chair. She felt his fist around the lower end of her hair yanking back her head, and she gasped sharply. Eyes cast up to the ceiling, she grunted a bit, though his free hand swiftly found her sex from behind, his wrist tucked under the swell of her backside.

"You tell me..."

She bit her lip, and though only dream-Gladio would be able to see her aroused expression, Ardyn would definitely be able to tell she was in heat by the juicy texture against his hand. Her hands found the tattooed, broad shoulders in front of her, keeping herself from collapsing as she was being teased.

She wanted him to pull harder on her hair, and he did, causing her to gasp again, the air hitting her lungs hard.

"Tell me, Nyxia."

Ardyn's voice sounded firm as he demanded an answer from her. Nyxia didn't want to admit that she had been a sucker for the violent, darker side of sex, and it had been Ardyn that triggered that when she was in love with him.

And when Gladio seemed to only encourage it in Shirra, Nyxia couldn't get enough of it. It was just something she never really addressed out loud.

"I want you to..." she breathed, her body trembling as he continued to finger her. By now, Gladio was merely caressing her body, but it was enough to inflict more damage on her.

A strike against her ass caused Nyxia to moan loudly, her body jerking forward against Gladio as if to escape the lash. As her Shield grabbed her and threw her onto the bed, he was gone in an instant, like a brief, summer breeze. Meanwhile, with only Ardyn left in the room, undressing, Nyxia momentarily panicked.

As he crawled over her, he claimed her lips in a dominant kiss. His nails dragged into her back, evoking a gasp and a wince. Then, she found herself pinned into the bed by the wrists as Ardyn's kisses trailed to her chest.

She welcomed the helplessness, her body squirming beneath his. She wanted him to fuck her now, and she knew he would soon.

"Is this what thrills you?" he asked huskily, his breath tickling her breasts. "Being brought into submission and conquered, tight-roping on the edge of pain and pleasure?"

She felt his hands squeeze her wrists, and as his member found her dripping cave, it pushed in once, and it pushed hard. Nyxia cried loudly, more in surprise than anything else. The wave of pleasure followed afterwards, but she wouldn't get any more until he pushed again.

"Yes..." she gasped, ready to beg for more at any second, if he didn't keep thrusting.

"Mmm, well, there's no need to conquer. You are already mine." She shifted her hips with a tiny moan, but she was quickly paralyzed as he snatched her by the roots of her hair. She was filled with an odd sensation of excitement. "And I expect you won't forget that." His voice was much more commanding, almost threatening, but she was beyond her pleasure to feel a significant amount of fear.

"I won't," she whispered lustfully, though the oxygen getting to her lungs was limited, due to her head being yanked backwards. He took her, the pressure in which he held her body down being enough to leave bruises on any ordinary girl. Nyxia, fortunately, was a little more durable than most, but that didn't mean she wasn't capable of feeling pain. Even still, that was what she wanted.


	41. Cloud Nine

Even while he had been away, Ardyn would play. While business was still equally as important as drawing Nyxia deeper into the darkness, he certainly took a great amount of pleasure in making her squirm and feeding her daemons.

The more they were fed, after all, the stronger they would be. Not much longer, and she would be completely his again, just as before.

She was under close supervision while he took care of important matters back in Gralea. Returning to the imperial capitol gave him a thrill, particularly as he took the central elevator to the higher floor. Her act of surrender had come quite unexpectedly, but it worked out in his favor. Even when he returned to this wretched plane of existence, he never exactly anticipated that he would again know the feeling of her against him. He knew she hated him then, but despite everything, something from the past remained that made old habits very difficult to eliminate.

His main concern was seeking out the Gem, though it had taken a good while, as it no longer held the same appearance of the star. Now, it was precisely what one might expect it to be: a lonely jewel, tarnished in black instead of red, its beauty overwrought by the same, daemonic presence that successfully claimed his bride-to-be.

He collected it, nonetheless, and returned it to Insomnia the following day after it was restored and embedded into a beautiful ring that she would wear. She was waiting, no doubt, to hear from him, rather than being tormented by wet dreams of her wildest fantasies. Her dream hadn't gone unnoticed by him, but with his extensive ability to bend certain realities, he had been able to corrupt it so that he could control those within it, aside from the dream's host.

To be honest, her lingering desires for Gladio didn't bother him as much as he thought it might. After all, Ardyn had been the one to introduce her to many of her dark desires first. And he wasn't stopping there.

Back at Insomnia, he was certain she would be waiting in the bedroom where he left her. He imagined being cooped up like a caged bird might have been frustrating for her, and so, had plans to take her to Curia once he put this jewel on her finger.

She had been asleep when he finally came to her, and while his original intentions had been to find her awake, he couldn't deny it might be amusing to take advantage of this. From a pocket on the inside of his coat, he drew out a small device - something special he also whipped up while he was in Gralea. Wireless mechanisms had always been a skill for him to design, much like the switch he used to disable Noctis's powers years ago.

Yet, this was nothing like that. Though it resembled a large bullet with a button, it was actually quite harmless.

He helped himself to a chair and brought it closer to the bed, leaving him enough room to observe her as he got himself comfortable. He clicked the button, and he waited, counting the seconds in his head before she would shift beneath the satin sheets.

She was dreaming, yes, but the stir between her legs that she felt was very real. So real, in fact, that the silence in the bedroom would soon be broken by small, delectable moans.

Again, her body flexed, and each stretch would pull the sheets further and further off, revealing her milky skin. He almost couldn't stop himself from taking her right then and there, but the show was equally enjoyable, and he didn't want to interrupt it now.

The vibration strengthened as she would break out of her slumber, and as her eyes instantly opened in alert, she would have no time to process his presence before she was thrust into the waves of ecstasy again.

He watched her, and though he might have appeared calm, his fingers had to keep twirling the compact device just to keep them off of her. The way she gripped at the sheets, tugging at them and writhing her tangled body within them, it was hard to resist.

"Honey, I'm home," he cooed tauntingly, but it seemed her words were only caught in her throat, choked back by moans of pleasure that had him harder than Curian steel.

He then pressed the button again, leaving the sensations to pause without warning. Nyxia was practically gasping for air, her chest heaving up and down, one of her lace-clad breasts peering from beneath the bedsheets.

"What the hell was that?" she asked as she partially recollected herself. Ardyn chuckled darkly, waving his new toy in the air for her to see.

"Interesting, isn't it?" he asked. "I made it just for you."

She did that little quirk where she bit her lip - something he was always wild about. He rose from the chair, walking to the foot of the bed as he eyed her with both hunger and intrigue. His right hand found the sheets closer to her feet, and as he tore it away, he reveled in the sight of her nearly naked body before him. Behind him, the sheets would fall in a pool of crimson on the floor.

She sat up a little, her bashfulness evident in her face, but he pressed the button again, rendering her into the throes of delight once more. She fell against the pillows with a gasp, her legs spreading on their own accord.

She was dripping with desire, and once he removed his scarf and coat, he would crawl up the valley to the oasis of her, kissing the juice from her inner thighs. She tasted like sweet, honeysuckle nectar, the salt of her skin giving her more flavor as he ran his tongue just beside the lining of the lace.

Then, in one, fell swoop, he tore the fabric off of her. He had momentarily forgotten the vibrations were still at work, though her whimpers were a sure reminder. His lips created a seal over the rosy bud between her folds, sucking it delicately to arouse her further. Her hips bucked upward, and the intensity of her cries did not go unnoticed.

Ardyn felt fingers in his hair, tugging him further in as ate her out, and it was oddly satisfying to get such a reaction from her. If he hadn't won her over before, he most certainly had by now. He was throbbing to push himself inside of her, but he knew he could hold out a little longer.

For now, he would give her one of many good reasons why she should never leave him again. And why was that? Because he was wild about her and only her, and he was simply that good.

As she reached her culmination, and her back left the sheets in an arch, his hands grabbed her backside and pulled her in harder. He'd drink her dry, if he could, like a man going many, hot days without water. He crooned lowly against her flesh, and with his chin stubbled and glistening, he came up to kiss her mouth hard, letting her have a taste the ambrosia.

He would finally quell her, persistent in owning every fiber she possessed before he would give her one, final gift. His hands trailed every contour of her body like travelers on an unexplored continent.

Over the past, few years, her muscles had become a bit more toned, and she seemed less breakable than before. She had done a lot of training to better her body, and more importantly, he imagined, her stamina.

He would push her to the limit.

He hammered her so hard, she had gradually been scooted further up the mattress. Ardyn was not one to be tender - at least, not for a long time. He had only been gentle with her twice, both of which were during the Starscourge. When he took her purity, he had made a note to be gentle. Then, after months of not seeing her, when she thought he had been dead, he couldn't help but show her that he did, indeed, love her.

Of course, that all went to hell when he found out she had been siding with Glaives and retainers of the Chosen King.

Things were different now, and he was certain by this point that her loyalties laid with him. If not, he would inveigle and fuck her until they did.

Yet, he was fairly certain he had nothing to be concerned about once she took control, all but throwing him onto his back to mount him. Every sensual curve of her rippled in ecstasy, and he allowed her the satisfaction, gave her the illusion that she was the one in control.

She felt amazing, just as she did the last time. There was no dullness to the pleasures she gave him. The manner in which her body so skillfully maneuvered above him, it simply drove him mad - not just because the sight was pleasing to the eye, but also because it was evidence to Ardyn that she did, at long last, belong to him solely.

When they had met a satisfying finish, she collapsed into the mattress beside him, panting and sweating. Her back lifted and fell with her heavy breaths, and he turned onto his side towards her, planting kisses along the tantalizing muscles.

"Definitely an interesting toy you got there," she grinned, her chin leaning on the pillow.

"There's plenty more where that came from."

From the floor, he retrieved his overcoat to pull the ring from its pocket. It would serve as her wedding ring, but most of all, it was a symbol of their reunion, as well as the coming alliance between Insomnia and Curia under new rulers. A new reign would soon begin.

"Is it going to vibrate, too?" she asked after a couple of moments of dazed silence.

"Hm..." He smirked, pretending to consider this as a possibility. "I hadn't thought about that." Of course, while the idea was preposterous, and he understood her humor. Once again, he would graze kisses over her shoulder blade. Her eyes fluttered to a close, and for a moment, there came the glimpse of the girl he knew years ago - sweet and so full of life - so full of love for the world around her, and so full of hope. These years had changed her, and though she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on, she was equally dangerous.

The most beautiful flowers, after all, could be exceptionally poisonous.


	42. Sympathy for Daemons

A week passed since she and Ardyn returned to Curia. Throughout, Nyxia noticed how, like Insomnia, her home city seemed to be stuck in time while the rest of Eos saw the cycle of day and night. With the strengthening of the darkness, however, not even the sunlight could scare off the daemons. Hunters had themselves one hell of a time trying to fight them off during all hours of the day, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference.

Nyxia hadn't left Curia at all since her return, but she would soon reclaim her throne - a succubus to recreate the city from the ground up. Ardyn, who came and went, was more than eager to provide her with her own army to protect her, but preparations were being made to join their cities together - a ceremony that she had been preparing for for the past couple of days.

Nyxia kept herself occupied on the days when she was left to her own devices. Curia belonged completely to the daemons, but that didn't mean stray hunters didn't try to find their way in to lower numbers. When she realized there were two trespassers coming down the street, she had all but leaped from the balcony to stalk them. She already knew what they were up to, and she had every intention to intervene. They were in her territory, after all.

As she found the pair of unfamiliar men, she saw they were trying to take down a group of stray, plagued cats. They most certainly weren't normal cats; each as black as night, they had a pair of ram-like horns on their heads that gave them more than claws to fight with. Chances were, the felines had attacked them to stake claim on the food they carried, but in the process, one of the hunters had gotten mauled quite viciously. The other used a machete to fend off the attacking cats, but instead of rooting for the good guy, Nyxia found her heart bleeding for the animals that were getting taken out.

She interfered, lunging at the lonely hunter from behind and shoving him into the hard ground of the street. Only one, surviving cat remained, and he would have likely met his end if she hadn't done something. Nyxia didn't want to kill the man beneath her, but...seeing what they had done to those poor things, daemons or not, it filled her with a rage that couldn't fully be explained. They couldn't help that they had become corrupted; they were just trying to survive the only way they knew how.

Before she could stop herself, she slammed the hunter's skull into the concrete, and it killed him instantly. Beneath his face, blood pooled across the ground, but her main concern was the only surviving daemon that was slouched against the wall of a building. Nyxia approached him carefully. The cat hissed with warning, which was more of a courtesy than the hunters had been given, in all honesty. Nyxia crouched low to the ground, waiting to see if he might change his behavior. As an innocent child, she loved cats, and that had never really been a trait that faded. Her father was just allergic, so she could never have one.

"It's okay," she murmured, and she held her hand out to one of the fallen bags that belonged to the dead hunters, it would float towards her. From it, she retrieved a plastic bag of cooked, shredded meat. She wasn't sure what it was, but she did know that it seemed to intrigue the injured feline. Yet, when the cat finally moved towards her, he slumped back to the ground in defeat, too hurt to continue forward.

The human inside of her wanted to help. Again, emotionally torn by the sight, Nyxia would return the corrupted animal to the palace. It took her a day to nurse him back to health, and being only the size of any other, domestic cat, he slept in the bed, with or without her. Many times, she would play her cello, and while it was hard to read some animals, this one seemed to enjoy the sounds of the low string of notes.

On the third night, as she played her instrument from the center of the bedroom, she stopped abruptly as something came into mind. "What do you think of Regulus?" she asked the cat, who perked his head up from the mattress and yawned. Then, with his horned head tilted, he let out a soft mewl. "Yeah... I like it, too." Nyxia smiled, returning to her cello. Her left hand's fingers methodically placed pressure on the strings closer to the top of the neck, eliciting lower tones and just a few higher ones along the way. As the bow poured out the rich notes, she didn't once look at the placement of her fingers. She already knew where they were, simply improvising as she played.

As Regulus would begin to fall asleep, it was just as his eyes closed that he suddenly perked up, noticing a presence at the doorway to the bedroom. At first, Nyxia hadn't noticed, still playing her melody, even as a voice entered into the chamber.

"It most certainly has been a long time since I've heard you play."

Nyxia's eyes opened, plucking at the strings for a moment before she would stop altogether, smiling faintly. It had been a while since she laid her hands on it, to be honest. Yet, though Ardyn had been the one that gifted it to her years ago, she found solace in its sweet, yet haunting notes.

"You didn't have to stop."

As if she was given a command, she continued, the notes once again filling the room. As Ardyn would come through the door, he would watch and listen. Then, he would speak up again. "I see you have a friend." He glanced towards the bed, where the daemon cat seemed to be once again at peace in slumber.

"His name is Regulus. Thanks to a couple of hunters that came into Curia the other day, I'm the only family he has left."

"Ah," Ardyn answered with intrigue. She felt his hands on her shoulders, their weight light as she still played on. "And what of the hunters?"

For a moment, she was silent. Then, as she explained herself, her voice changed, as if her humanity had dissipated in an instant. "Dead."


	43. Instrument of the Devil

Suffice it to say, Ardyn had been quite busy. He couldn't always keep his eyes on Nyxia, no matter how entertaining it was. When she first left Curia for Gralea, he had been ready for her. After all, he was the one who had set all that in motion.

Sure, Aranea Highwind had been a small obstacle, but he was able to keep her separated from the sorceress long enough for him to do what needed to be accomplished.

Plant the seed, so to speak.

He let the ex-commodore return the queen safely to Curia, but by then, it was too late. All he had to do was bide his time. Patience was a gift of his - something he had learned to master for over two thousand years.

He had anticipated a lot of mixed emotions to come from the girl. She was torn between many things:

Her love for him, which, after all this time, still lingered like a poisonous bite.

Her infatuation with Gladiolus, regrettably.

Her want to do the right thing for the world around her and those within it.

And, most importantly, the fact that she had no one left to turn to. Ardyn had made sure of that all this time. He would be behind her to the very end, no matter how much she stumbled.

Yet, he was taken a bit off guard when he discovered she had left her palace with Gladiolus.

As it turned out, at first, things were not going according to plan. It seemed the trio was onto his rouse, and when they fled from Curia with Nyxia in company, Ardyn found himself beyond frustrated. All that hard work to get her where he wanted her, just for those Queensguards to take it all away. He had even lost Rubia to the Queen's Shield's sword, and he had nothing to show for it. She was useful, yes, but she was equally as much of a nuisance.

Basically, never send a woman to do a man's work.

On the flight from Curia, Ardyn thought very little about his encounter with Ignis. He already felt confident that this little ritual of his would fall through. After all, Ardyn's influence on her was exceptionally strong. It would take a lot more than some mashed ingredients to exercise her.

By the time that Ardyn returned to his Insomnia, he had made preparations. Last time he was here, he had spent years waiting for Noctis to attempt his claim to the throne, ready to bring ruin to the _once helpless and hapless prince._

Ultimately, he failed, leaving Nyxia behind. She had been his best-kept secret - the one thing he aimed to protect, even if ultimately from himself.

Yet, when it all came to an end, he just couldn't stay dead.

He had come across the street before the Citadel, where he met his end at the thirteen, royal arms that Noctis Lucis Caelum possessed. It was comforting to know that he no longer had the pest to threaten him. The others were nothing but roaches to him, though there was only one in his way of fully having Nyxia to himself.

His preparations consisted of well-tamed daemons and MTs that would rebuild several bases. There had been five once before. The Glaives had taken them down with help, and he vividly recalled Nyxia being a part of that effort. That was a bothersome recollection. Nevermind it. It was a shadow of the past now. The darkness would swallow her, and he would finally take back what was rightfully his - both her and the Kingdom of Lucis.

Even before he arrived at the doorway of the bedroom, he could hear the maleficent tones of the instrument from the long, dim hallway. He felt as if he had walked into a concert hall, but he knew the sound too well and who it came from. The sweet sounds of the cello sang of the same dysphoria that was within him. Perhaps that was why he enjoyed hearing it, especially considering the sentimental value of its player.

As he appeared at the doorway, he remained silent, simply watching her from behind. He could recall the night when he first heard her play. She lost her old cello to the havoc of attacking daemons within the palace, and so, for her birthday, he had chosen to get her a replacement - one he was surprised to see she still kept after all of this time. When he first witnessed what she could do with the instrument, he had fallen for her, and he fell harder than he could have ever anticipated. He wanted her then - _needed_ her like a human needed to breathe. He tried to resist her infinite charm, knowing the pain and destruction he would ultimately bring to her. Yet, it didn't help to know that she possessed the same desires.

 _"I forgive you for all the terrible things you have done. For all the lives you took along the way. Why? Because you saved mine. Isn't that enough?"_

Once he finally made his presence known, Ardyn almost wished he hadn't. That tune was perfect. She was as beautiful as always, adorned in a black dress and a film of moonlight on her skin. Yet, as he approached her from behind, his hands itched just to touch her - not even in a way that would lead to anything scandalous. He was gentle, up until he heard her confession of killing the hunters.

He couldn't explain the feral lust that filled him when he heard her voice darken. Years ago, he might have felt wrong about it, but he instantly felt the need to replace the cello between her legs with his own self. Casting a firm glance at the horned feline on the bed, it had been enough to silently command him to leave the room. Once he had, as if under an influence, Ardyn noticed only then he was gripping at Nyxia's neck - not necessarily to the point of hurting her, but even if he had, she could handle it.

Impressed with how well she was progressing, he slid his hand over her chest and lower. By now, she had stopped playing completely, but her grip tightened on the neck of the instrument as he ushered up her skirt. He could feel the heat of her before he even touched her, and he paid little mind to the bow that fell at her feet.

Just like old times. He breathed against her neck, feeling her center through what felt like lace, though in the shadow of the instrument, he couldn't see what color the material was. He only knew it was hot and wet, and it would only get more so as he would demonstrate what _his_ fingers could do.

The only sweeter sound than the notes she played on the cello were those that were relinquished from her lips. He wanted to watch her face as he gave her pleasure, but at the same time, he received an odd thrill in this position. He could still see her body twist and lock in its rapture, every ripple in her body a sensuous display. He briefly entertained how frequently he had to wash his gloves, though without fingers, just from how often he had played with her like this. It was all her fault; if she wasn't so damned irresistible...

"Come for me..." he purred against her neck. He felt her muscles flinch just in response to his words, enticed by that alone. She seemed to take immense pleasure when he gave her such commands, and he equally enjoyed demonstrating that sort of power over her. Nyxia always had been a bit of a submissive individual in some circumstances.

He rubbed faster, smooth circles transposing into rapid, back-and-forth motions like a machine. He could always tell when she was finished; once her cries seemed to reach a pinnacle, they would fade into heavy breaths, and his fingers would be a sticky mess. Yet, he enjoyed this too much to complain. After she took a few seconds to recover, she finally spoke.

"You'll let me return the favor?"

The idea was tempting - more than he could describe. He had much to do, especially since he had discovered that hunters were starting to patrol Curia now. They were a menace that needed to be stopped sooner than later, no matter how much his testosterone raged for his future queen. "Soon," he said with a grin, taking the cello from her grip and setting it down before he would pull her up. He kissed her lips, less with hunger and more with just pure adoration for her - though he would never say it out loud. How selfless she was, showing concern for his needs, as well.

Once he released her, he would step back towards the door, offering her a bow that was almost playful.

"For now, I must take my leave."


	44. Denial

The Chocobros had searched high and low for Nyxia when she turned up missing. The morning when they came to check on her and she wasn't there, Prompto didn't know what to think. Once they realized she was truly gone from Shirra, he could only imagine that Ardyn had to be the one behind it. Who else could it possibly be? He expressed the determination to go find her right away, though Ignis expressed that they needed a solid plan, whereas Gladio seemed dismissive about the whole thing. The big guy's behavior had Prompto suspicious, wondering if maybe he knew more than he was letting on, but for a while, he left it alone.

Until they got to Cape Caem.

Gladiolus behaved evasively even around his sister, which was very abnormal. She seemed to receive blunt and short responses, if anything at all, much like Prompto and Ignis had been receiving for days now.

He asked Iris what she knew, and though she hadn't been around the group for a while, she seemed to know a lot more than he expected.

"I'm not a dummy," she said as he watched her tend to the garden. Prompto would give her a packet of kale seeds as she needed them, and he would cover them up as she moved further down the row. "Gladdy's nuts about her, but he just won't admit it."

"That's all?" Prompto asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't think it is, but...I don't know."

"Don't you want to find her, too, Iris?"

She sighed, brushing the dirt from her hands on her skirt. "Of course, I do. She's my friend just as much as she is to everyone else, but...if you're right, and Ardyn is behind it, it would be a suicide mission." She paused as they both straightened and stepped away from the tilled soil. "You did hear about Dave, didn't you?"

"Dave? No..." Prompto felt his stomach tighten, as if he already had an idea of what she was going to tell him. She ushered for him to follow her into the house, and throughout the entire time, his stomach was in knots. This couldn't be good news. "I haven't told the others yet...but..." From a pull-out drawer by the front door, she pulled out two, dog tags.

"He and another hunter went into Curia to see if she was there. Monica found these..."

For a moment, he was silent. Trying to take in this information as he read **David Auburnbrie** on one of the tags, and **Eric Cancellis** on the other. "What happened to them?" he asked, a mixture of anger and hurt filling him.

"She has her suspicions...Dave wasn't killed by daemons. She thinks...Nyxia did it."

His next words tasted like vomit in his mouth. "How does she know that?"

"Prompto, I...don't really want to say it."

"I don't care. We all need to know what happened." He very rarely got this upset, but this was his friend she was accusing. He needed to know why Monica was so confident that Nyxia could have been responsible.

"Eric, the other hunter... Monica said he was very clearly attacked by something with claws, but Dave... his face was smashed into the concrete. She said if he didn't die of traumatic brain injury, then it was blood loss."

Prompto had a hard time coming to terms with this. He had to know the truth, and the best way to do it was to ask Nyxia. He was no expert in forensics, but maybe he could find her and get her out of there. If she was under Ardyn's influence, maybe as her friend, he could talk some sense into her. He just couldn't accept the fact that Monica might be right. This whole thing was a misunderstanding; Nyxia was simply a prisoner, nothing more.

"It had to be Ardyn. There's no way..."

"Maybe." Iris's tone suggested she didn't have very high hopes for that possibility, though, and that bothered Prompto even more.

He wouldn't tell the others his plan, even as Iris gave the news to the others. He hadn't seen Gladio that angry since he yelled at Noctis on the train towards Cartanica. When they left Shirra, they had taken Nyxia's belongings with them in the case that she came back. However, Prompto watched him throw everything in the dumpster outside. Even her phone and leather jacket were disposed of. He imagined Gladio had spent a good chunk of gil on that jacket for her. Did he really hate her that much?

Prompto wanted to plead with him to calm down, but he knew how the man got when he was this furious. There was really no shaking him out of it, and so the best thing to do was just to stay out of his way. Even Iris couldn't get him to settle down.

Later that night, after the sun had set, Prompto packed himself a small bag of necessities - a few snacks and potions, mostly, and he was on his way towards Curia, taking his motorcycle into the night. He hadn't forgotten his camera, of course, though he doubted taking pictures would be much of a concern to him. He needed to see Curia for himself, to see if it truly was under continuous night like the others were claiming...and to see if Nyxia really had lost her fight with the daemons.


	45. Wretched Soul

Nyxia spent the next couple of days making preparations for the big day. She was breaking into a black-and-white, wedding gown - one that hugged around her upper body before it would come out like a mermaid's tail. She had been struggling to decide what to wear for her wedding, and with Ardyn's absence while he made his own preparations, she didn't have much opinion to go on aside from her own.

He promised her the utmost security as she made the decisions she needed to. A line of necromancers at her back as she came into the palace's throne room, she went up the stairs. However, something caused her to pause. There was a noise in the room behind the throne, and as she went to investigate, her protectors were close at her heels.

Glaives. She could tell by the black and gold attire they sported. Four of them, though none of them she actually recognized. Yet, they knew her, and had obtained word of what she had become.

"There she is!" one of them shouted. From the center of the hall, he lunged at her, a sword drawn. As it came down towards her head, she grabbed it between her two hands, her palms holding it. The sharp blade pierced through her skin, though it wasn't crimson that emitted from the wound, but black. It seemed to spread onto the silver like a contamination, until suddenly, it simply shattered like ground metal.

Not that it entirely happened on her accord, it was almost as if it had done that on its own. He grabbed for a pocketed dagger next, taking Nyxia off guard as he thrust it into her side.

Yet, there was no pain. Granted, she was more stunned than anything else. She had never been stabbed before. At first, her feelings were all that took damage. The hunters that she once supported and stood beside were so willing to destroy her. The Queen of Curia. Hadn't she once tried to do everything she could think of to make things right? She had risked her hide so many times for the good of the world.

How could they have forgotten that?

She pulled the dagger from her flesh, the blade decorated in her own, obsidian blood. Nyxia looked at it for a moment, and then angrily looked at the Glaive that assaulted her.

Before he could realize what a grave mistake he had made, the blade was driven into the front of his throat. He gagged and choked, eyes wide as he collapsed to the ground.

A second came running towards her with an angry yell, also wielding a large sword. Behind him, the others looked to be in a panic, but still seemed adamant to stay and fight.

All they saw was an inky, black fist driving through their companion's back, a pulsing heart clutched in its fingers before it would be dropped to the ground.

"I commend you guys for being so brave... but it ends here."

As the last one fell at her feet, a ringing phone brought her attention back to the first Glaive she had killed. She reached down to pick it up, though she didn't see a name with the incoming call. As she answered it, she said nothing.

"Milton, can you hear me?"

Ah, she recognized that voice. It was several years since she'd heard it, but it was unmistakable.

"Cor Leonis. Good to see your heart still ticks."

"...Who is this?"

She looked down at the corpse she could only assume belonged to Milton. "You don't remember me?" she said, half-smiling. "That's alright. I'm not offended. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"Nyxia. What has that monster done to you?"

"No worse than what I did to your comrades." Her voice was empty, and even over the phone, it was clear she was more daemon than human. "Is that really all you have?"

"Far from it. I promise."

"Come on, Cor. Don't be scared. Come visit me yourself. Show me how "immortal" you _truly_ are."

Then, the call ended; he had hung up on her. Nyxia smirked, allowing the device to fall from her fingers only to shatter on the ground.

Was that an acceptance to her invitation? She certainly hoped so.

Once, she and the Glaives had been on the same side. She even followed Cor into Insomnia to bring down one of the bases. She realized quite recently that she had taken the wrong side back then. In the end, they would even try to kill a Curian queen, all because they couldn't handle a few extra daemons.

Cor was nothing more than an old man - probably a breeze to take out, if she really wanted to, but was it really worth wasting her time?

Eventually, she came back out into the throne room. She walked down the stairs, her red gown standing out against the dim room, and white blood trailing at her feet.

"More will come," said one of the six, hooded figures.

"I look forward to it," she said casually, and as she reached the bottom, she gave the necromancer that addressed her a stern look. "Is my husband-to-be here yet?"

"No, mistress..."

"Good," she sighed. "It would be bad luck for him to see me in my dress before the wedding, right?"

While she would get herself a shower, the necromancers were left to clean her mess and dispose of the bodies. Yet, the bloodshed had been a lot more enjoyable than she anticipated...

Once she was clean and clothed in a spotless, black dress, she was ready to step out of the bathroom. However, she knew she wasn't alone. There was someone just on the other side of the door, and it was an unwelcome guest.

As she opened the door, she thought she would have been prepared for anything. However, she wasn't prepared to be staring at the barrel of a pistol just inches from her face.

Her expression changed into a look of concern. "Prompto," she said, "thank the gods you're here. We need to get out."

"Cut it out, Xia. I'm not stupid."

Nyxia frowned a bit. He had seen right through her. She should have expected that from someone who was once her good friend.

"He got through to you after all, huh?" he went on, still holding his gun at her. "They said you had killed Dave, but I didn't believe them. Looks like I was wrong..." Yet, she noticed he was stalling. Her expression remained soft, though more somber.

"You don't want to kill me, do you, Prompto?" she asked. He didn't move from the center of the room, but nor did he say anything. Hesitance was written all over his face. Suddenly, she grabbed the barrel, steadying it in the air and towards her own forehead. "Go ahead. Pull the trigger."

He stared at her in disbelief. A bullet to the head wouldn't hurt her. The sword that drew her blood didn't even sting when it cut through her flesh. Like Ardyn, she was immortal, and she would only briefly feel death's chill wind.

He lowered the weapon, though by now, Nyxia was not surprised. Her hand fell to her side. "You won't kill me," she said to him, "just like I won't kill you." He looked at her in surprise. "Someone has to relay the message."

"W-what message?"

"I got a phone call from an old friend. The marshal. I'm hoping to meet with him very soon."

Horror seemed to fill his eyes, and Nyxia found it enticing. So much that she wanted to add to it. "I was hoping to start a list - Gladio at the very top. Then, maybe your pretty Aranea-"

The gun suddenly fired. A bullet hit her square in the stomach, and though it didn't hurt, the sound was both deafening and startling. He did it. He _actually_ did it. Not that it did much, but the act itself was a surprise to her.

She must have struck a nerve.

Nyxia charged at him, but the gunman was already jumping for the window, leaping from the balcony and making his escape by motorbike.

She growled a bit, digging her thumb and index finger into the bullet wound to pull out the projectile. Once she dropped it to the floor, the hole would close up on its own.

The other two couldn't be far away. They were probably here in Curia, though they'd be in for a rude awakening if they came for her now. Yet, she could certainly make it worth their while.


	46. Determination

When Nyxia had gone missing, Gladiolus didn't have to guess what could have been done differently. He was incredibly upset, and though he wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself, he blamed his own carelessness for the loss in her spirit.

He should have told her the truth rather than put his pride first. How he truly felt... Gladio didn't know how to put it into words, and even now, he wouldn't have known what to say. He had hoped his actions would have been enough. He did all he could to save her, not just from death, but even things much worse than that.

The night when she almost threw herself off of that balcony... He hadn't felt fear like that in a long time. He was afraid of losing her. He dreaded the possibility of never seeing her again, and never having the opportunity to tell her what needed to be said. Yet, even when he was given plenty of chances, he didn't take it. He choked.

And maybe if he hadn't choked, she would still be here. She wouldn't have run back to that piece of shit that called himself King of Lucis now.

Gladio had already made it up in his mind that Nyxia didn't want to be found. She felt unwanted, and she had already been in a fragile state of mind. He didn't think about what the daemons might do when he lied to her. It was never them he was afraid of, so it was natural that he never gave them a second thought.

He hoped to clear his head while he was in Caem - even Iris got an earful from him, and she was shocked. Initially, she had been excited that he found someone he wanted to truly settle down with, but as she would find out more, his sister saw it wasn't so simple.

Then, it was discovered that Nyxia had succumbed completely, thanks to a number of reports from Glaives that spotted her in league with Ardyn. He'd already been mad as hell that Prompto sneaked off without even telling him or Iggy the plan, but when he came back with new information on Nyxia, Gladiolus just about lost it. She went crawling back to Ardyn-fucking-Izunia after all, despite everything.

Of course, it took Iris to coax him in order for him to clear his head.

"Let's face it, Gladdy. What future did you expect her to see with you when you basically denied that you loved her?"

He hated it when she was right.

It was no wonder Nyxia ran off, though it didn't make him feel any better about the situation.

Then, when his friend made mention about her threats, he was even more pissed off. "That's it," he growled, "I'm done playing the good guy here."

"Hang on!" Prompto insisted, blocking the front door of Iris's house to keep him from running off. "We gotta think this through."

"What we need to know is what the marshal plans to do about this. He has lost four, good Glaives by her hand alone. He won't stand by idly." Ignis states, standing aside. "Gladio, Prompto's right. We need a better plan."

"But we're losing her! Why didn't that damn potion work, Iggy?" he demanded, his fists clenched.

Ignis paused, pushing his eyeglasses up the bridge of his nose. It was evident he was troubled by something. "Before I returned to Shirra, I required an ingredient in Nyxia's kingdom, and I happened upon Ardyn... Or, I should say he found me, first."

Gladio's amber eyes narrowed at him. "Iggy..." Why didn't he say anything about this? "What did he say?"

"He knew every move we were going to make. He didn't seem concerned about the exorcism. In fact, he encouraged me to hurry, as if no matter what, he was going to come up ahead." Ignis looked angry, but he could tell it was with himself more than anything. "Ardyn's influence is a lot stronger than we gave him credit for. Stacked on top of the fact that she's given up, we never had much of a chance."

"You mean, there's nothing we could have done?" Prompto asked.

Ignis looked at Gladio, but he left the question unanswered. He understood what it meant. Nothing needed to be said. The only person that could have made a difference was himself. Whether Ignis was indicating he should have stayed away or been more compassionate, Gladio didn't know.

He stomped off and out of the house, passing the Prompto barricade easily, though without really hurting the guy. He wasn't going to just up and leave. He knew he wouldn't stand a chance if he went to Curia on his own. He might not be so lucky to survive Nyxia's wrath, if he did.

He just needed some fresh air. At least the breeze felt nice as he stood by the cliff, looking over the seemingly unending water.

At least the sun was shining, too. It was still unclear why that was, but right now, he needed its comfort.

"Uh, Gladdy?"

His sister's voice stirred behind him, and he huffed. "What is it?"

There was a pause, as if Iris was procrastinating to give him a reply. He turned to look at her, his expression that more of concern now.

"I know Ignis and Prompto care for her and all. I care for her, too... but not like you do. But she did save my life. Let me help you get her back, both for her and my big brother."

For a moment, he was silent. Iris always was known for having such a big heart. It was one of her best traits. He hadn't forgotten the hell she went through with the necromancers a couple of months back, nor had he forgotten what Nyxia did to help. She took one hell of a beating just to save Iris.

Damnit. Yeah, he loved her. He had never been good at showing it - he was more or less better at treating her like something less than a lover, or even a friend. He wished more and more that he had told her the truth rather than make it seem like he was just having a good time messing around with her and keeping his reputation as a smooth womanizer.

"Iris, I know you can take care of yourself, but she's taken four Glaives out single-handed."

"There's a logical reason she didn't kill Prompto. Don't you see? There's still some good in her. It just takes us to bring it back. Trust me."

Iris could be right, but Gladio hated the idea of losing her. She was the only family he had left. He might have never shed a tear when his father was killed by the empire, but it still hurt like hell. He had to be strong, and back then, he was being strong for his King.

Now, he needed to be strong for Nyxia, even if it meant breaking down the doors to the Curian palace and taking down every last daemon and MT that was guarding her.

Iris seemed determined to help, and it didn't look as if it was possible to change her mind.

Women.

Can't live with them, can't live without them.


	47. Downward Spiral

Another couple of days passed by, and Nyxia was left in Curia on her own while final preparations were to be made in Insomnia. There was where the ceremony would take place, and she would be expected to return by escort of the infantry units.

When Nyxia had received word that Ardyn had returned to the Citadel, she prepared for her departure. She missed having Regulus as her company, but instead, had two MTs standing behind her as the elevator would take her up to the throne room. Dressed in a short, black dress of lace, she waited to greet him by the large chair. As she did, she looked at it. According to what she had heard, King Noctis met his end here when he sacrificed himself to the previous kings of Lucis, to bring Ardyn to death and peace once and for all.

It turned out he had failed, and as fate would ironically have it, The Accursed would sit the throne.

Nyxia sat on the top of the stairs, the long train of her skirt creating a waterfall effect on the scale, her pale legs crossed as she heard footsteps out in the hall. The suits were out there as well, though as they followed Ardyn inside, he waved his hand to dismiss them only once he saw Nyxia.

The doors shut, and Ardyn walked towards the stairs. She wasn't sure what was expected of her - not that she was a slave or anything, but she was in his house, now.

It had been over a week since she had seen him, so it was hard to tell what would come next, especially since he had labeled himself King of Insomnia.

"Finally," he said, and as he reached the chair, he would place himself in it. He crooked his finger towards her, gesturing for her to come closer. As she rose to her feet, she did so, her heartbeat speeding up just by being closer to him.

He pulled her onto him, forcing her to straddle him on the throne. "Home, sweet home," he purred. "I have my queen. I have my Insomnia. What more could I possibly demand?"

Nyxia bit her lip, a suggestive flicker in her eyes as she looked upon her fiance. "I have a few needs of my own, you know."

"That you do," Ardyn grabbed her by the roots of her hair, and she gasped, her body flexing in excitement. "And I am a gentleman enough to ensure you get them fulfilled." His lips grazed the front of her neck. "What will I get in return?"

Nyxia was all too eager as she reached her hand between his legs, grasping at the large bulge that had already developed. "Anything you'd like... Your Majesty."

This seemed to urge him even further as he nipped at her neck, and she felt his member react strongly, as if power was the one thing that aroused him the most. "I could get accustomed to that." She grinned at the ceiling, the sudden need for him in her mouth causing her to quiver. She sank to the ground, her fingers working at his trousers to set him free. As she hungrily took him into her mouth, she couldn't help herself but to bring her right hand between her thighs, slipping it beneath the fabric of her netted leggings to touch herself. She moaned, the sound meant to send vibrations through him. She felt his fingers in her hair, tugging her more towards him as he took pleasure in her ministrations.

Checkmate.

So overwhelmed with desire, she couldn't stop. She was torn between satisfying him and herself at the same time. Suddenly, as if in the blink of an eye, she was pulled up and forced to turn around and face the rest of the empty, giant room. The material that covered her was all but shredded from her body, left in tattered pieces as she was forced to impale herself on him.

Instead of queen taking the king, it was quite the other way around.

Nyxia moaned loudly, her hands only able to grip at the chair as she rode him. She felt his lips trace her shoulder blades, teasing her skin as he watched her work. Then, his hand slid to her front, slipping its fingers along her clit to further stimulate her. As soon as he did, her moans elevated half an octave higher.

His fingers moved in circles along her sex, encouraging her to bounce faster and harder on him, her climax fast-approaching.

She was so close, and he knew it, which was why he had stopped, though only just long enough to bend her over the arm of the chair before he would take her from behind.

His thrusts were vigorous, and to an ordinary human, it might have been painful, but she only wanted it more.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but as liquid fire filled her within, her body gradually stopped its rocking. Again, she found herself on the floor, this time, back pressed against the marble. Her head hovered over the first step of the stairs, but she was certain he wasn't going to let her go anywhere.

It seemed as though Ardyn's stamina hadn't depleted at all, considering he was pummeling into her again once he had positioned himself above her. She was balancing on the edge of a knife, so close to coming that she knew it would be earth-shattering. Each thrust pushed her just a fraction of an inch further over the stairwell, but he held her by her hips as he fucked her.

 _So...close..._ Her body ached for that release, but every time she reached that edge, he would stop. He did it on purpose, holding her by a string so that she couldn't quite make it over.

"Don't stop..." she begged. "Please, Ardyn..."

"But I could watch you like this for ages," he purred as he held back, still buried inside of her. "Right here is the manifestation of my desires."

One thrust, and Nyxia groaned pleasurably, but she still needed a series more to reach her peak. She shifted her body in hopes to finish it herself, but he held her tightly, keeping her immobile.

Her muscles strained for a release, and it was almost getting painful. Finally, he picked up his motions again, and Nyxia felt her back flex over the stairs, her voice slightly strained as she cried out in pleasure. Then, at long last, her body tightened, a wave of ecstasy washing over her as she dragged her nails into his arms. Shortly after she slouched into the ground, Ardyn pulled out as well, but only after he had injected her a second time.

The daemons inside were now content, leaving her to be made less and less of substance and more shadows.

Throughout the week, Nyxia found it difficult to sleep when her _other half_ was absent, once again attending to important matters. She could hear the magiteks marching down the hallway. In a bedroom she designated to be hers, Nyxia was changing into some fresh clothes - a long, black gown of chiffon and lace. Her tastes in lack of color obviously hadn't altered, but they did become more elegant. After all, she was a queen. Shouldn't she dress the part?

Just a couple of days ago, seeing Prompto bothered her. She was still too impacted by her human emotions. He had a gun pointed at her, and she didn't even threaten him. She never summoned a weapon on him, and never even thought to cast a spell. She just sent him on his way. While she had said it was to deliver a message, it was more than that.

She just didn't want to admit it out loud.

Nyxia looked at herself in a large, ornate mirror, and the silence in the air couldn't be more deafening. As her reflection stared back at her, she noticed something peculiar. Its face looked pained and sorrowful.

Nyxia lifted her hand to the window, but the reflection didn't mirror it. Instead, a clear, glistening tear trickled down its cheek.

 _You stay in there, little dove. And don't you ever come out._

Then, the glass blackened. Nyxia's fists clenched angrily, and as her reflection disappeared, she smashed her knuckles into the mirror. It shattered into many pieces - some large, some small. Yet, before she could fully assess the damage she had done, the door slammed open behind her. MTs lined up by the entryway likely expecting an attacker to aim at. Seeing the red lasers shoot across the room, she didn't need to turn around to know it was them.

"Nothing to worry about. Go."

They didn't budge, as if they didn't believe her. But another voice from just outside the hallway did cause them to react.

"Leave."

Hearing Ardyn seemed to fill a certain void inside of her. As the magiteks filed out of the room, he would enter, and the door would close softly behind him.

"You're late," Nyxia said, and though there might have been a brief flash of a smile on her lips, her voice still remained flat.

"And you, my pet, are stunning," he replied, but as he came closer, he noticed the mess she had made, as well as her bleeding hand. He tutted softly, taking her fingers with his own. "You should be more careful."

"I can't imagine you're worried about me having a little scratch. The mirror took a lot more damage." She watched as his touch healed her hand, and the blackness faded to reveal the pale skin beneath.

"Well, it was a lovely mirror - no doubt costly..." Ardyn grinned. "Which leads me to inquire why you broke it."

"A lot of memories," she answered, and perhaps that could be accurate. "All of which need to stay in the past."

"We had some fond memories, too, if I recall." His hands took her waist, pulling her close to him. "Do you remember your birthday in Curia, around the time we first met?"

How could she forget? That was when she started falling for him. Before Ardyn came along, she had never known that kind of love.

"You brought me that cello," Nyxia smiled. "I didn't feel right taking it at the time, but it made me so happy to play it. And you..." she paused, biting her lip. She felt his grip tighten around her waist as she did that, and it caused a gasp to swell in her lungs.

"Words couldn't describe how desperately I wanted you that night," Ardyn purred along her neck. "That sweet, innocent woman who saw the best in me."

Nyxia fell silent, his words hitting her a little harder than she expected. The more she thought about it, the more they kept hitting.

"And you're losing her," she said softly, her voice cracking. The old Nyxia Chantieri was doomed to die. The Queen of Curia was now merely a daemoness that took the appearance of her. No soul, no love, no hope.

"Yes. I know."

There was a certain defeat in his voice. This wasn't what he wanted. He had hoped to corrupt her, to make her his completely, and now that he had it, he just seemed forlorn.

She couldn't fully understand why, but seeing him unhappy with her just ate her up from the inside. She wasn't sure what else to do.

"Don't you want me still?" she asked. Yet, she knew that acting on her lust, especially with Ardyn, would only strengthen the daemons.

"I _always_ want you."

He kissed her vigorously, and she sank against him a little as she savored the taste of his mouth on hers. She could already feel herself getting wet with desire. She was ready to plead that he take her right then and there.

"Yet, I loved _her_."

Nyxia paused, feeling a pang against her chest as Ardyn released her. She knew what he meant, and the realization made her body shatter into a thousand pieces.

The only reason she returned to him was because of a last resort - she had nothing left, and what love she had for him, and he for her, seemed to only reflect a daemonic lust.

Now, it was just smoke with no fire.

Nyxia stepped away from him, though as her back turned, she felt firm fingers around her upper arms, and he was yanking her back against him. She was too frustrated to feel desire from this, but it seemed that Ardyn was not so easily dampened. As she tried to resist him by pulling forward, he held her back against him.

"But somehow, I think we both are well aware that she is in there still."

Nyxia's eyes closed, her fingers clenching into white fists. "You're the one that killed the old Nyxia. Why the change of heart?"

"This..." he turned her around firmly, and suddenly, Nyxia felt her back against the wall nearest them. The elegant fabric was torn from her shoulders, and another rip cleaned it from her body completely. "... isn't you."

She pushed him, but he didn't seem to budge, pushing her harder into the wall. Nyxia growled angrily. When she once would have shown fear by his persistence, now, she only expressed wrath. Yet, little by little, he would anchor her, each wrist pinned down as he pursued her.

"The one that believed so desperately that even an imperial chancellor could turn himself around... Gullible as she might have been, that was the beauty I fell for."

Her resistance ceased, and she looked at him with big eyes.

He had once done so much good by her, and that was all she ever knew, up until the night he raped her - just a couple of days before the Starscourge ended and took him with it.

"The night when I nearly destroyed her, she cried and pleaded..." He brought his hand to her neck, his fingers gripping at it slightly. Nyxia felt herself beginning to relive that moment he recalled, and her eyes flickered in terror for a moment. "Yes... I think I see her."

Nyxia grabbed his wrist suddenly, throwing all of her force forward. Ardyn stumbled backwards, hitting the ground as she landed on top of him.

"The man I loved was a protector who wanted to help me save Eos from the plague of daemons," she muttered, and as she held him down, she felt her emotions overrule her. "The man I loved turned out to never exist." Her eyes welled with tears, greener than before. "He was a pretender..."

"I didn't pretend that I adored you. If anything, I pretended I didn't."

For a moment, Nyxia was silent. Her grip loosened on his shoulders, and the moment that they did, he grabbed hers and pulled her into a heated kiss. At first, she didn't respond, but her heart ached for something that felt real. All she really wanted was to feel love, and it seemed he was the only one able to give her that, twisted as it may have been.

Again, she fought with herself. What she wanted...it could never be with Ardyn. "No..." she pried herself from his grip, clear tears still clouding her vision. "You took everything from me. My family...my city..."

"A city you never desired to be queen of to begin with," Ardyn argued as he lifted himself from the ground. "And a family that would have never permitted you to live a life other than that."

She grabbed her robe from a nearby hanger, throwing it over herself to cover up. He wasn't wrong, but... "That doesn't change the fact that I loved my family," she muttered. Once the tie was in place and secured, her hands stilled for a moment. Then, suddenly, her staff appeared within them, and like lightning, she had the top of it aimed at his chest. "And you killed them in cold blood..."

Ardyn raised his hands slightly as if in surrender. "Your mother, just like the rest of Altissia, met their fate at the hands of the daemons that took it. I had very little to do with it. Your father, however..." His hand abruptly grabbed onto the staff, and it seemed that purple flames would surround and tangle themselves around it, poisoning it with dark magic. "The man that gave you orders to destroy my imperial bases, and then swore the late King Noctis's retainers as your Queensguard... Now, how could I possibly forgive that?"

She tried to release the staff, or even make it vanish completely, but it seemed stuck in his grip. Nyxia panicked as the tendrils would reach her wrists, crushing the wooden rod just as it would bind her hands together.

"Without me, you would be all by your lonesome."

Nyxia stepped away from him, fear once again swallowing her. Perhaps it would have been best that way, but she wouldn't say that out loud. "Go on, then..." she hissed at him, trying to conceal her nervousness. "Remind me again why I started hating you."

Ardyn grabbed her by the throat, and once more, she felt her back against the wall. She stared at him with angry and equally shaken eyes. Her heart was racing in a panic, but as she watched his amber eyes soften, she realized perhaps death had changed him.

He released her, as did the strange, ethereal twine. She gawked as he took a step away from her, and not another word left him as he would exit the room. Nyxia found herself overwhelmed by relief, and as she sank to the floor, her resolve shattered completely as a crystalline tear brushed down her cheek.


	48. I Would Die For You

Nyxia hadn't set eyes on him at all the next day, nor the day after that. She had expected he might be sitting that throne he had always wanted, but every time she passed through the Citadel's grand hall, the throne was empty.

Even the wedding hadn't been spoken of, and nor was a date ever designated for it.

She was stirred from her musing as a presence filled the air, pricking at her skin like heated needles. There was a trespasser here. No, there was more than that. They were in the elevator, coming up towards the throne room.

"No... not now..."

Nyxia called upon an obsidian dagger, one whose tip glowed with a dark, purple flame. She waited, closing her eyes. Perhaps, if her trio of former friends were here to end her, she should let them.

Yet, it came as a surprise as a young woman came through the door, wielding a double-sided javelin. However, as soon as she spotted Nyxia, she stopped.

"Nyxia..." she said, lowering her weapon slightly. "It's just me. It's Iris."

Nyxia stared at her. Why was _she_ here, of all people? Behind her, Gladiolus entered the room, though remained beside his sister.

She was less surprised to see him, but that didn't keep her blood from boiling in anger. Grip tightening on her blade, she raised her other hand to summon a ball of purple, ethereal light - something at least one of them might have found quite similar to the magic that Ardyn harbored. "Both of you made a huge mistake coming here."

"Nyxia, wait- _aagh!_ " Gladiolus used his great sword to block a beam of dark energy, though soon, from it came smaller streams of purple, twirling through the air before they would hit him directly.

"Nyxia, _STOP_!"

As Iris's demand filled the hall, the spell ceased, and Gladio fell to the ground, breathing heavily. Nyxia pointed her staff at her now, but she didn't feel ready to attack her. Iris had never done anything to hurt her. In fact, it didn't seem like she wanted to hurt her even now.

"Please... I know you're in there somewhere, Nyxia. Listen to me." As Iris pleaded with her, the queen slowly lowered her hand, even if only by an inch or so. "We need the old Nyxia back. She loved Eos... she would have given anything to make it a beautiful place to live in." She now took a step forward. "We miss the real Nyxia... the one that kicked ass for the good guys. And Gladio...he loves her."

Nyxia stiffened a bit. "What...?"

"That's right!" Iris beamed. "Gladio loves you, Nyxia! He's just too chicken to admit it, but I know what love looks like, and I want you two to be together and live happily ever after, and..."

 _"Iris..._ you're overdoing it." Gladiolus muttered under his breath.

"Well, then _you_ tell her."

She knew that by now, she should have ended both of them, but now, she was exceptionally curious as to what he had to say.

Gladio struggled for a moment before he would get to his feet. "She's right. I lied because I was too proud to tell you the truth. You saved Iris, and you saved me." He inhaled. "I'd die to save you even now."

Nyxia's eyes clouded slightly, and she found herself wanting to hate him more. Why now? It was too late for her to turn around. He just wanted to punish her, to make her think she had lost something wonderful and become that sweet girl again.

Well, it wasn't going to work.

She raised her knife, but behind her, _his_ voice made her stop.

"As would I."

Ahead of her, Iris and Gladiolus seemed motionless, and it felt as though time itself stood still. Yet, Nyxia was able to move. As she turned, she saw Ardyn standing by the throne, his hand casually placed on the top of it.

"Ardyn, what are you doing here...?"

"Calling back the reinforcements. These two would be dead by now, had I not." He descended the stairs, approaching her.

"Are you saying you don't want them dead?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"I didn't say that," he answered. Once he was in front of her, he stopped. "I never was fond of competition." His hand rose to her face, brushing her dark hair from her eyes.

"I was wrong to deny you, Majesty. Allow me..." Ardyn's hand trailed down her neck, causing every inch of her to shudder. She couldn't help but recall when he had taken her right there at the top of the stairs, bent her over the throne chair and made her scream into the darkness. She wanted it again, and yet...

"This might not be the best time..." Her words sank into a gasp as she fell onto the stairs, and he landed on top of her. There was ferocity in the kiss that followed. Nyxia moaned against his lips, though it felt strange with two sets of frozen eyes on them.

 _It's the only time._

Suddenly, she felt his hand grab hers, the same one that was wrapped around the hilt of the daemonic dagger. She panicked for a moment, but as the mystic blade penetrated flesh that wasn't hers, Nyxia needed a moment to figure out what had just happened.

He had driven it into his own heart, and as black blood poured from the wound, a yellow light illuminated the blade. "Ardyn... _NO_!"

His body was limp in her arms as she staggered to sit up.

 _"What did you just do!?"_

His lips formed a tired smile. "What I had to...to bring you back..."

Nyxia pulled out the blade, her hands trembling and covered in inky substance. Soon, she was sobbing, and fresh, blackened tears fell to the floor.

No, not again... She couldn't lose him again. However, her tears soon were interrupted by pain - a very familiar, distinctive pain like the one she felt when she took Ignis's potion. She screamed, her body writhing violently even as she still held onto Ardyn.

Then, after a minute, the cries of agony stopped. Silence rang through the room, and it wasn't until then that Nyxia noticed he had been trying to comfort her in his final moments. His thumb brushed back and forth over the back of her hand, and he whispered something. She could only imagine he was trying to tell her she would be okay.

"Ah..." he looked up at her face, and his eyes looked ready to close. "There you are... I've missed you."

"Ardyn, don't...you dare...leave me again..." she sobbed, clutching at his sleeves. She was no Oracle, otherwise she might have had a chance to heal him - to know the real Ardyn without limitations. She wished she could have rid him of his daemons without this kind of pain...

She had already lost so much.

"Why the tears?" he asked, relatively calm, though he was taking his last breaths. "I have hurt you more than any daemon ever could..."

She knew he was right, and the reminder humiliated her. Perhaps even such an old love could never truly die.

"I don't want you to go..." she whispered. She felt so drained, as if she might be dying, too.

Ardyn's eyes closed, but his lips still kept a smile. "Hearing that makes it all worth while. I can rest in peace now."

Nyxia clutched at his limp body, though as the energy left her, her grip loosened, and she fell to the floor. As her eyes closed, they still released crystal-clear tears.


	49. Making Amends

She had spent hours prior trying to clean Ardyn's blood from her hands, even after they were spotless. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Pain, relief, anger, fear, guilt... None of it made any sense. A world in which Ardyn had sacrificed himself to cure her simply made no sense.

Upon returning to the throne room, even Iris and Gladiolus had disappeared, no doubt escaped while they could. There was still a pool of black on the ground, though the body was gone. Nyxia spent another couple of long hours cleaning the mess, though there was no sign of troopers or daemons as she worked.

When the floor couldn't be any more clean, she showered and dressed into something else closer to her original style. High-waisted, black shorts and a tank top to match. Once she had her old boots on, she escaped the Citadel.

She had given herself enough time to regroup, so that she had left nearly every magitek trooper that got in her way as a pile of metal scrap.

She couldn't even be sure where she was going at first, but it wasn't until she reached the outskirts of Insomnia that she figured out a destination. There was a worn ferry at the docks that she could take to Caem, and though it took a bit of time, she managed to get it going.

Thankfully, there were no obstacles on the water, as she certainly wasn't the most graceful at steering a boat. She did get the hang of it.

It was beautiful to be able to see the sun again, since she escaped the black veil of Insomnia. It would rise just as she saw the lighthouse within sight. She ended up docking away from the boathouse, not wanting to be seen by her Queensguard, in case they were here.

To her surprise, as she hiked over the rocks and onto solid ground, she spotted an unfamiliar truck, and out of the driver's side hopped out a blonde with a Hammerhead cap and yellow jacket.

"Cindy?"

The woman turned, perking up as she realized who waa addressing her. Nyxia only really met her once while she was on the road with other three, but that was a while ago.

"Hey there! Never thought I'd see yer purdy face 'round here again. Them boys'll be so happy to see you."

"Actually, I don't think it's such a good idea for me to see them right now." Nyxia didn't want to fill Cindy's ear with explanations. "Is Iris here?"

"Oh, she sure is! And don't you worry. They probably won't be back for a while. Lemme go get her for ya."

As she followed Cindy up the path towards the house, she spotted Iris working in the garden. The Amicitia sister seemed to spot her right away. At first, her expression was hard to read, as if maybe she was trying to determine whether her friend was here to kill her or not.

"Xia...?"

"Hey, Iris..." Nyxia offered a sad, apologetic smile. At this, it was as if the other woman just knew. Iris ran to her, throwing her arms around her into a tight hug.

"You're okay..."

"I'm... alive, at least."

Iris looked at her with concern before she would invite her in. She would cook breakfast for the three of them as Nyxia tried to collect her thoughts. Iris already knew most of the story about Ardyn through what the others had said before, but she seemed without words when Nyxia told her about his sacrifice.

"I... I'm sorry..." she said, giving her a stunned stare as she was serving up bacon. "You've been through so much..." Yet, she offered a smile. "On the bright side, you're back, and you look like yourself."

"I suppose so," she murmured.

"Gladio will be so happy to see you."

"I...uh... don't plan on staying to see the others." She looked at her plate, poking at the sausage patties with her fork. "After everything I've done... everyone would be better off if I just left."

"Is that what you think?" Iris asked, her voice hardening. "Gladio doesn't forgive easily. He went to Insomnia because he wanted to talk you into coming back. That was _his_ idea, not mine. I just came for moral support..."

"Besides, ain't he sworn to protect ya, no matter what?" Cindy asked.

"He absolutely adores you, Nyxia... Isn't that reason enough for you to stay?"

Nyxia sighed, swallowing down some of the food. "I just...need some time." Iris was pretty much asking her to get over Ardyn and move on to Gladiolus, and that just wasn't how it was going to work.

"I have more important things I need to do, and a lot of mistakes to amend."

"If you want to make amends, then I suggest you start here." A voice came from the front door, causing her to jump up from her seat. Nyxia's body clenched in anxiety as Cor stepped into the room, looking as stern and righteous as usual.

"Marshal... I'm sorry... I wasn't in my right mind when I..."

"I know. Turns out the chancellor was capable of manipulating some powerful individuals, even the old Kings of Lucis."

Nyxia paused, giving him a look of surprise. "Really?" She had always thought Ardyn to be exceptionally strong, but not _that_ strong.

"My question is, how do you plan to make up for the lives you destroyed?"

Nyxia hadn't really thought that far, and her mind being pressured by guilt and grief did not exactly help her concentration on a solution. She sighed. "What can I do to help the Glaives?"

"Our biggest concern is destroying Gralea once and for all. From there, we can kill the power to his technology."

Nyxia looked over at Iris, who nodded in agreement. "Okay. I'll do it." She held out her hand in truce to Cor, who took it firmly and shook it. "I'm sorry I threatened you, too."

"Don't be. I probably would have had you beaten anyway."

Nyxia smiled, knowing he was probably right. Besides, he wasn't called Cor the Immortal for nothing.


	50. Copperhead

While her heart might not have been fully into it, Nyxia agreed to the mission given by Cor. After all, it was the best start to making things right - to atone for the damage she had done when under Ardyn's influence. She felt ashamed with herself a lot of the time - even found it difficult to look at herself in the mirror nowadays. She stayed with Cindy in Hammerhead as a means to lie low, which was a nice change of pace. The lady auto-mechanic was actually great company, and when Nyxia expressed the disgust with herself, Cindy made a suggestion.

"Do ya figure perhaps a new look might make ya feel better?" she asked.

"A new look?"

Cindy offered to color her hair, and at first, she was a little apprehensive about the idea. For so long, she'd stuck with the same, bleak style, keeping her black hair and black clothes... But Cindy seemed to think a little color wouldn't hurt her. Eventually, she talked her into it, and she allowed the blonde to go nuts. Just as long as she didn't cut the hair. Never once had Nyxia cut her hair - except for trimming off dead ends. She wasn't about to start now.

She wasn't sure what it was she was getting herself into until it was all said and done. As she looked in the mirror, though her hair was still damp, it was a bright, blood orange. To be honest, she was quite happy with it.

With a fresh look for her new mission, it didn't quite do much to settle her nerves, but the only familiar faces she saw in Gralea were Iris and Cor. She wasn't sure what she would do if she saw the Chocobros there, and she certainly didn't want to worry about spending most of her time trying to hide from them.

The mission was a total success, even if returning to Gralea only to destroy what remained of it left a sickening feeling in her gut. Seeing the central elevator again made it difficult to see this quest through, but she knew that for the better of Eos, it had to be done.

Afterwards, Iris offered Nyxia to come with her to Cape Caem, assuring her no one else would be there but the two of them. She would make dinner - a delicious sirloin cooked to medium and drizzled with some sort of white sauce and mushrooms. Nyxia was starving, and she didn't hold back when she chowed down in the kitchen with Iris. The food was delicious, almost equivalent to that of Ignis's. Nyxia's heart sank a little bit as she was reminded of her old friends.

Iris seemed to notice her dampened mood as they briefly talked about Ignis, and as she finished wiping down the counters, she nodded to the dishes. "There's something I need to go get. Could you put these away?"

Nyxia nodded, doing as instructed as Iris would excuse herself from the room. She went into one of the side doors, disappearing as Nyxia would put the dirty plates and silverware into the dishwasher. As she closed up the door, Iris returned with a cardboard box in her hands, though it seemed relatively light. "I held onto this," she said as she would bring it into the kitchen, setting the container down on the counter. As Nyxia would open it up, her chest tightened slightly. There was the leather jacket that Gladio had gotten for her back in Shirra. When she had been taken away to Insomnia, naturally, she had none of her belongings with her. Even her phone and charger were nestled towards the bottom of the box, along with some other clothes she had unintentionally left behind. "When Gladio figured out what happened, he threw everything in the dumpster. He was so mad..." Iris shook her head, giving her a smile. "But I knew somehow, you would come back, so I cleaned it all up and put it in a closet when he wasn't looking." She took it upon herself to pull out the jacket completely, handing it to Nyxia. "I think now, he'd be happy to see you wear it."

For a moment, Nyxia was a little reluctant. She knew that more than anything, Iris just wanted her big brother to be happy. Nyxia slipped her arms into the sleeves, smiling faintly. "Thank you, Iris..."

It was a little too late for Nyxia to take that long trip back to Hammerhead, and so, Iris offered her a room to stay for tonight. She found it impossible to sleep, more occupied with looking through her history and pictures on her phone as it charged. Even as she came across the thread between her and Gladio, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

She missed him. She missed all of them, really, but there was this urge, even late at night, to hear his voice again. Her thumb hovered over the call button for a good minute before she finally broke. She brought the device to her ear, her heart racing against her chest as she listened to the series of rings. However, by the fifth ring, she was confident he was fast asleep and too far gone to hear the phone call. Finally, Nyxia hung up, sighing.

Afterwards, she tried to rest, but sleep just wouldn't come, no matter how much she tried to close her mind. She gathered her things as quietly as she could manage, though she knew by now that Iris was already fast asleep. She would sneak away from Cape Caem and call a taxi to take her to Curia. Though the city was deserted, something about returning here gave her more peace of mind than staying in a cottage.

She returned to the palace, her steps first taking her to the tombs of her mother and father underground. She spent twenty minutes alone to silently pay her respects, though she felt she would have been nothing but a disappointment to them. As she bid them farewell, she returned to her own room, exhaustion finally taking over her just an hour before sunrise.

She set her box of belongings on the ground before she would sit on the bed. In the corner of the room, her cello case stood, though the pang in her gut discouraged her to do anything more with it. Instead, she simply laid her head down and closed her eyes. She hadn't even bothered to pull the covers over her - then again, her jacket was enough to keep her warm.


	51. Serene Dream

Gladio still couldn't quite wrap his head around what had happened back at the Citadel. Everything was a haze by now, but the only thing that was certain was that Ardyn was truly gone now. He hadn't seen it with his own eyes, but Cor and some of the other Glaives have been able to confirm it as they began rebuilding Insomnia.

They spent a lot of their time in the Lucian city, even when a number of the survivors went to Gralea to destroy it once and for all.

Yet, not once had anyone mentioned Nyxia being spotted anywhere. Iris never said anything. Cor never said anything. That was why he had been so surprised when he woke up to a phone call at three o'clock in the morning coming from her phone.

He had almost hit that green button to answer it, yet, he hesitated. It couldn't really be her, could it? How would she have possibly gotten her hands on that phone? He distinctly remembered tossing it out in fit of rage at Cape Caem. Unless Nyxia had gone there, there was no way...

Gladio couldn't bring himself to go back to sleep. His head whirred with mixed emotions. He called his sister later that morning, and though the urge pricked at him to inquire about Nyxia, he simply told her he would be stopping by with no explanation. He hadn't even cleared this with Prompto or Ignis yet, but he knew he would have to. Once he explained that he had reason to believe the Curian queen had been there, they were both on board to find out the truth. However, as they got to the house by the cliff, pulling up in a black Vixen, he didn't see Nyxia anywhere.

As Iris worked the garden, Gladio investigated inside. Dishes were cleaned, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary until he came across one of the guest rooms. Iris didn't sleep in this room, but the bedsheets were wrinkled and seemed to have been recently used. Someone else had been here.

He approached the bed, imagining he might have seemed weird as he smelled the indented pillow. It was definitely her scent, sweet and subtle.

Acting perhaps too quickly on instinct, he dialed her number. He should have thought to do it sooner, but somehow, logical thinking had escaped him. It didn't exactly surprise him that he got no answer.

"Where did she go?" he demanded as he came out of the house towards the garden. Iris straightened, looking like a deer in the headlights, wide-eyed and a bit alarmed by her brother's outburst.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nyxia... I know she was here. Why didn't you tell me?"

For a moment, Iris struggled with her words. Her guilty expression alone was enough to give away that he was right all along. "She didn't want anyone to know she was here." She sighed, dropping her trowel to the soil with a downcast look. "She's going through so much right now... I don't think she's ready."

He growled a bit, and though he knew he ought to be patient, he had put his life on the line numerous times for that girl.

"Hey, buddy, she _did_ try to reach out to you," Prompto said shyly, trying to talk some sense into him.

"Yeah, at three in the fucking morning..." Gladio sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. But if she comes back, you'll call me, right?"

"Of course, Gladdy."

He had turned around to leave when Iris spoke up again.

"You could maybe check with Cindy."

His blood boiled just a little bit more. It was as if the girls were plotting against him. "Damnit, Cindy is in on this, too? _Really?"_

"Chill out, man," Prompto insisted. "I can call her and find out."

He was tapping his foot with impatience as Prompto made the call. As he did, Ignis finally spoke up. The Queen's Shield hadn't noticed until just then that Specs had just finished a conversation of his own on the phone.

"The Marshal says she's been making some amends. It would seem that she might just be anxious about seeing us just yet, lest we think poorly of her."

"I get that," he huffed. "I just...want to know she's okay."

"I am willing to guarantee she is more safe than she has been in a long time."

Ignis was probably right. However, it didn't do much to ease his agitation when Prompto discovered nothing about Nyxia's whereabouts. Cindy hadn't seen her for a couple of days, since before Gralea's demise.

For now, they would be forced to return to Insomnia until they heard back from her. It was difficult not to worry about her. After all, that was kind of his job, but if she didn't want to be found, then what more could he do?

He kept his hands busy, aiding some of the Glaives in the more strenuous labor of rebuilding. It was after sunset that his phone rang, though his hands were full as he was hauling a broken, stone pillar off of the street and onto a large pickup truck. It took him a minute to retrieve the phone from his pocket, but once he did, he was quick to answer, even though he was smearing dirt all over the touch screen.

"Nyxia?" he panted.

It was silent. There was no dial tone, but he feared he might have missed her again. Damnit. How much longer would it take for her to rack up the nerve to contact him again?

"Tag, you're it..."

Thank the Six, it was her. She sounded tired, as if she had either slept too much or slept too little. Either way, it was nice to hear her voice.

"...You're okay." He had to restraint a sigh of relief as he wiped sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, I'm at the palace... I just needed some time away from...well...everything."

Gladiolus glanced around before he would tear himself away from the construction area. "Let us come see you. It's been, what, over a week since...you know..."

There was no immediate answer. She was most likely trying to find words to turn him down. At this rate, he couldn't say he could blame her. Nyxia seemed to hold a self-hatred for the things she had done before when they came to light, and this time was probably no different. Despite how much damage she had done, though, he couldn't bring himself to hate her. He wanted to help her make things right... Besides, he had made a vow to her father and his own.

"If you want to, yeah."

He was elated, but it was hard to keep that from being evident in his voice. "We're in Insomnia right now. We can leave before-"

Then, he heard her laugh a little. It was a sweet sound - something he hadn't really heard in a long time, come to think of it.

"Can we do it in the morning? I just need some more sleep..."

Hell, what was one more night? He didn't even realize he had been smiling. "Alright. In the morning."

"Kay... Bye."

He hung up, and his right hand made a victorious fist as he whispered under his breath. _"Yes."_ The others would be glad to see her, too, no doubt.


	52. Silver Lining

Nyxia was pretty happy to finally hear Gladio's voice again. At first, it seemed like the most terrifying thing in the world. She knew she had to speak to him sooner or later. Once the deed was done, she was relieved that she had finally gone through with it - like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

In the end, she still had her friends. She supposed things were mostly back to normal. Everything was just like it was when the Starscourge ended... kind of.

Except that now, she had no kingdom to speak of. No Curians survived except for herself. Even Thage, her bodyguard since she was a child, never made it back from Altissia.

When the news got out to the others that Nyxia was awake and unharmed, they eventually met up in the throne room, which was brightly illuminated in the morning light. It was almost like a serene dream.

Ignis was the one who confirmed that she was, indeed, back to normal, and the darkness had been removed from her completely.

In fact, she was so normal that her magical abilities ceased to exist, save for her healing powers.

Nyxia's mood was dampened a bit by this revelation, but she supposed that it was a necessary sacrifice. As the four of them trekked through the gardens, Nyxia finally asked the question that had been on her mind since she woke up this morning.

"Where do we go from here?"

She couldn't see herself ruling a non-existent kingdom, though the city still stood. Almost everything she knew was gone, save for a very small handful of people. Prompto, Ignis, Aranea. Then, there were Iris and Gladio...

She had wanted to thank them for coming to her. It was Iris who broken that first wall. Gladiolus knocked another one down. If they hadn't, Ardyn's sacrifice would have been for nothing.

There were some tears to be shed, at least from herself - and maybe a couple from Prompto. Even though she wanted more time to spend with them, as well as some time to talk to Gladio alone, she still needed more rest, and it was Ignis who had first insisted.

Yet, when they were gone, Nyxia pondered more than she slept. What was to be done with the palace? She wondered if it would be practical to make it into a hospital, yet, she certainly couldn't be the one to organize it. She didn't have that kind of knowledge, and nor could she really heal anymore - at least, not with magic.

The next day, she'd bring the possibilities to Ignis's attention. He didn't foresee any problems of converting the palace to something else, as well as the rest of the city into a place without sovereignty - likely just another city in the region of Cleigne.

It would take time, as well as more people to help transform Curia, but it could be done.

There was a certain weight lifted from her shoulders that she would unname herself from being queen. Even if Curia were to return to its former glory, she could never feel deserving of the title. She had let all of her people turn to daemons and die.

It was a difficult thing to live with, but the others saw it differently. She couldn't have possibly known what was to happen, nor what lengths Ardyn would go to in destroying her city just to add to his own cause. Yet, in the end, he made the ultimate sacrifice, destroying himself in order to give her her former life. Coming to terms with the fact that he was forever gone still left a sour taste in her mouth, no matter the terrible crimes he had committed.

Iris, who had been helping her tidy up the place over the next days, noticed her damp mood. A good friend always helped those in need, and so she encouraged her to pick up a hobby - something to keep both body and mind busy. Hiking, rock climbing, aerobics...

It was a good way to keep herself busy, even if it was a little strenuous on her body. She wasn't used to this kind of workout, and keeping up with Iris was a chore in and of itself.

She got herself a nice, cold shower after her excessive training, though her muscles ached for a portion of the day. Nyxia spent the day in the infirmary, which was much less busy without any Curian residents. It seemed tranquil - perhaps even too good to be true. The hospital wing hadn't seen many people, and perhaps that was more good than it was bad. A daemon attack might bring a hunter or two in, or even a Glaive, and Nyxia would be paid for her services. After all, the Chantieri's royal money wouldn't last forever.

After the only patient left the room, Nyxia cleaned up the bed. She had been ready to leave when she saw a brawny figure blocking the doorway.

Her breath seemed stuck in her throat. She hadn't had a chance to really talk to Gladio since she called him a few days ago. Nyxia wasn't sure what to say, and so, simply waited for him to break the silence.

"It's good to see you," he said. Nyxia smiled faintly, putting away a roll of bandages.

"Yeah, I'm glad to be back," she said, her voice soft. She remembered how he had confessed to her in the Citadel, and how he helped save her from her daemons. Admittedly, it was a night she didn't want to recall anymore.

For a little while longer, silence reigned in the hospital wing.

Then, she prodded further. "I don't think I really had a chance to thank you for what you did back there," she said. "I shouldn't have given up on you guys, but you didn't give up on me."

"I'll say it. I was mad as hell, but...I swore to your dad I'd serve as your Shield." She turned to see he was standing closer to her, and as he placed his arm across his chest, he bowed. "That still stands, until I no longer draw breath."

"Gladio," she said, and she placed her hand on his raised arm. "I don't want you to protect me because you feel like you have to. My father is dead. I'd forgive you if you didn't keep that promise. Besides, there's no queen to be a Shield for anymore."

"That's not why I want to protect you. And I think you know that."

She was quiet for a moment. Of course she knew. She wished she had realized it sooner than later. Nyxia felt she had been given too many chances already.

"I know." Giving him a half-smile, she turned away from him and took a couple of steps.

"Don't walk away from me."

She stopped, surprised by his sudden demand. She remained still, waiting to see what more he had to say, but she didn't turn around just yet.

"You screwed up. I get it. We all could have done better, but look at the world now. It's about as normal as it's ever been."

"Daemons are still out there, Gladio. There's thousands of them."

"That's nothing we can't handle. In the meantime, we have daylight to enjoy again."

"And what do you want?" she asked, her voice hardening a bit into sarcasm. "You want us to take a drive to Galdin Quay and bask in the sea breeze?"

As she turned to look at him, she realized he hadn't answered right away.

Finally, he sighed.

"That's exactly what I want."

Nyxia hadn't thought he was serious, but his expression indicated that she was quite wrong. She hesitated. It sounded like a dream, but she didn't understand.

"Why?"

"You know why."

"No, Gladio. After everything I've done, after Ardyn, after I killed those Glaives... _W_ _hy_?"

For the first time, his eyes left her, casting down as if he was ashamed. "I know Ardyn was the reason you did a lot of things. He was the reason for a lot of people doing things they weren't proud of."

"You act as if you've seen it before."

"Well..." He sat on one of the infirmary beds, his elbows settled on his upper legs. "I have. And Rubia... she was almost just as bad as him. She had me fooled for a little bit, too."

She could imagine, and she didn't really want to know the details. Still, none of that amounted to what she had done. Gladio and the others might have been willing to forgive her, but she had not yet forgiven herself. "They're both gone. That's all that matters." Yet, there was a certain hollowness in her voice - one that she hoped he might have missed. Ardyn still weighed heavily on her mind and her heart. The first time she lost him was bad enough. Recently, holding him in her arms as he was passing... She may as well have been dying alongside him.

A week gave her time to heal, but her stomach was still in knots at times. She hadn't shed any tears since - didn't really feel the need to, but the hurt still lingered occasionally.

A pair of strong arms encircled her, and Nyxia realized then that she may have been wrong. Tears wanted to cloud her eyes, but she blinked them away. She leaned her head on his chest, and for once, that was all she wanted. Just to be held...

She closed her eyes, her tight muscles given a chance to just let go.

Then, a ringing phone killed the moment, and Gladiolus released her with a sigh as he would pull it out and bring it to his ear. "Yeah?"

Nyxia took a few seconds to gather herself as he took the call. As he finished it, he slid the device into his back pocket.

"Gotta move. Ignis says there's trouble at the Balouve Mines. The place finally collapsed, but there's a people inside."

Nyxia wanted to go with him to help, but she knew her place was here. "Bring them here if you need to."

Gladio smiled briefly. Had she taken her eyes away, she might have missed it. "You got it." Then, he was gone.

She sighed, returning to her duty before she would go to the throne room, where she hoped to find some solace. Before too long, all of this would be gone. Maybe such a change was necessary, even if the details were still sort of vague.

Nyxia closed her eyes, her heart heavy now that she was here and utterly alone with her thoughts. This was the first time she had been by herself in this room, and it was beginning to hit her like a ton of bricks.

She had always been close to her father. Whenever he had time away from being a king, he spent it with her. Natalia had been around even less, and so the princess got the majority of his attention. He was the kind of father who would be delighted every time his little girl brought him a flower crown, insisting he wear it on his head.

And he would, just to see her smile.

As she got older, he taught her everything he knew about magic, especially when her mother wasn't around to help.

Now, she had to learn it all again - all on her own.

She sighed, smiling slightly.

No.

Not alone.


	53. Out of the Ashes

A few weeks would pass. Every morning consisted of the same routine: strenuous training, breakfast, and then checking the infirmary.

Meanwhile, some of the Curian energy was converted into white, crystal shards so that other regions could retrieve it and use it to amplify their own powers. It served as a very useful and valuable resource - one that would ward off daemons in the night by electricity.

With the future looking much brighter than before, Nyxia was starting to feel relatively comfortable in her position. With Gladio as her Shield and the others staying in the palace to help wherever they could, things had started looking up for not just Curia, but Eos as a whole.

Even Insomnia was undergoing some serious repair work, provided with more Curian energy to protect it than her own home. Since a barrier couldn't be conjured, it got the next, best thing.

A decision had finally been made at the end of the week that the palace would serve as a branch of the Glaives headquarters, as well as safe haven for those injured in the line of duty. It would also open its doors to hunters, of course.

Through the development, Nyxia did find time for recreation, at least. Sometimes, Gladiolus was the one to take her out training. This gave her a change of pace, which was something she occasionally needed. They had kept things strictly platonic between them all of this time.

"Where are we off to today?" she asked him as she joined him in front of the palace. He had pulled up the Stella right in front, keys in hand as he leaned against the passenger side. He tossed the keys to her, and she caught them in the air.

"Ravatogh. You remember how to get there, right?"

"Yeah," she said, somewhat surprised that he had made the decision to go there. It had been a long while since she thought about the events there - rescuing him, fighting off those nasty necromancers.

As she began driving, she saw that at Gladio's feet was a bag with several bottles of water, and a few foods. "Are we going to be on the road for a while?" she asked him.

"Figured we'd go hiking. It'll be a long hike just to the haven at the top."

Nyxia might have been discouraged a few weeks ago, but her excessive training had her feeling rather confident. "So, in other words, you're kidnapping me." She teased, making a turn that would soon bring the giant volcano in sight.

Over time, Ravatogh had become less and less hot. The Starscourge had been a big part of it, and even the most recent curse had dampened the fires a little bit more.

Still, it felt like a summer day in Lestallum as they started climbing. Gladio carried the bag as they ascended. Even the steeper ramp of rock they had to take was a bit of a strain, and she had slipped a couple of times before getting the hang of it.

Gladio was close behind, ready to catch her when she fell. Once they were on more layered ground again, she snagged a bottle of water from the sack hanging on his shoulder.

"No time for breaks," he insisted, now walking ahead of her. He always had been one with much better stamina than her, but she pushed herself on. It was still sweltering even as they climbed higher, but soon, the wall they had to climb to get to the haven was within sight, and Nyxia was dreading it now.

Yet, she pushed on without complaint. Only a princess would have whined about the labor, but she knew it was good for her.

Her hands and shoulder were sore from gripping at the cliff, but after a couple of slips, she finally made it to the top. Gladio had gotten there first, and he helped her over the edge. Finally, they were there, and it would be about an hour until sunset.

It was time to eat.

They set up camp, and as he pitched the tent, Nyxia grinned as she dug through the bag.

"Cup Noodles. Of course."

"Hey, don't joke on the noodles."

She giggled a bit before she would draw out a couple of bottles of water. They both earned a bit of comfort food. While she wasn't as wild about the noodles as Gladio was, she did enjoy them from time to time. It was like comfort food.

As they ate, they talked about all sorts of things. Since everything went back to normal, they held more conversations than ever before. She learned a lot more about him as a person, especially when he had visited The Tampering Grounds and confronted Gilgamesh. They talked a bit about Cor, and how Nyxia had once worked with him on a mission during the Starscourge.

"I think I remember that. Iris said she was in that effort, too. She mentioned you and Thage did a really great job."

"It seems so long ago, thinking about it now." She took a bite, sounding a satisfied hum at the flavor. "And Thage...she was a good friend to me."

"I met her once, around the same time we served as guards at your twentieth birthday ceremony."

Nyxia smiled faintly. It really did seem so long ago. About four years, now that she thought about it.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Still feels stiff, but I'll live." She had pulled it a little during the last, big climb.

Gladio got up out of his chair. He had already scarfed down his dinner, whereas Nyxia was about three-quarters done. He walked over towards the cliff behind her, looking over the chasm below. Thankfully, there were no giant birds to be found nesting there.

"I figured maybe tomorrow, we should check on Insomnia and see how it's progressing," she said, then took another bite. Suddenly, she felt his firm hands on her shoulders. He rubbed them, and his thumb drove right into that sore muscle she had strained.

"We still need to take that trip to Galdin Quay."

She almost lost her grip on the styrofoam cup, but tightened her hold before she dropped her food. They had mentioned Galdin Quay before. The Mother of Pearl had reopened, and what more, the resort had expanded. She had been hearing that the seafood was still pretty damn good.

"Mhmm..." she murmured, losing herself. The massage just felt so comforting, and it turned out she needed it. Leaning back in the folding chair, she closed her eyes and just enjoyed the moment.

"Feel good?" he asked. His thumbs now rubbed circles against the sides of her neck. Her head only gyrated by default, and she kept her body loose.

"Yeah..."

Who needed medicine when they had Gladio? Nyxia smiled to herself.

His skilled hands eventually stopped as he brushed her dyed hair from her face, but soon, he left her untouched altogether.

"We should get some rest."

They eventually retired to the tent, and sleep came easily for them both. No intimacy, no struggles with their desires. Nyxia only found herself completely at ease, lulled to sleep by the sound of his breathing just nearby.


	54. The Shield's Surrender

The next morning, he was up just before the sun. The cool breeze up here was soothing, though the former queen was still exhausted from her climb. He could tell. Gladio hadn't gotten used to her being such a busy bee in the city.

It had to be difficult. She had so much weight on her shoulders, and not enough strength to carry it all, though she tried like hell. He wanted to help her with that burden as best as he could.

Gladio smiled faintly, glancing back into the tent to see Nyxia was still fast asleep. He was in no real hurry to get out of here, and he didn't want to wake her up. She just looked so... peaceful.

He had ideas of how to wake her up, one more devious and promiscuous than the last. He kept himself under control all of this time, but it hadn't been easy. He was still a moth drawn to the flame, and it was only a matter of time before she would engulf him completely.

He had tested the waters when he rubbed her shoulders the night before. He wanted to do so much more, though he did a good job of hiding it, but right now, it just seemed best to just make her feel cared for, not lusted after.

Self-control wasn't exactly his forte, especially when he was around her, but much had changed in these past, couple of months.

Eventually, she stirred on her own accord, and he made sure to provide a quick breakfast for her before they would pack up. They made their way forward to leave the fiery mountain. Gladiolus hadn't forgotten how tense things had been between the two of them the last time they were here. In a way, it made it all the more difficult not to take her right at that moment, but he respected her.

Even if he was fairly certain she wouldn't complain if he gave in.

He gave her another couple of days to finish some things. Meanwhile, he oftentimes stayed by her side, as a Shield would be expected to do.

Finally, they took their leave from Curia when all the scores were settled. They had left early in the morning, grabbing breakfast in Old Lestallum on the way. At the Crow's Nest, after their meal, they were both sipping in an ice-cold lemonade. Behind him, the voice of a reporter from the radio could be heard:

 _As the former chateau of Curia makes its conversion into the world's largest headquarters for the Glaives and hunters, the city's queen has officially stepped down from power. After dropping her title, Nyxia Chantieri reassures us that while she is no longer queen, she will continue to do right by Curia and its strongest ally, Lucis._

Thankfully, no one here seemed to recognize her as former queen of Curia. Maybe the orange hair helped to disguise her, in that sense. It looked good, too...

He excused himself from the table, using the restroom as an excuse to get rid of his boner. No, he didn't do _that_. He just had to focus on this well-deserved vacation, get his mind out of the gutter. Finally, they went ahead and booked their room upon arrival - a double-bed with a window that provided a beautiful view of Angelgard and the waters.

Lunch was delicious, and the food was just as good as it used to be when Coctura made it.

Gladio also learned that while Nyxia no longer Reflected, she did meditate - it was something she had been doing a lot of mornings to help enliven herself for the day.

As their stomachs settled, that's what they both did. He was never one for meditation before, but as he was working her so hard, there was no harm in trying something she enjoyed, too.

She sat on one bed, and he sat on the other. There were no words, no sounds, (though, one time he had teased her by making the humming sound only to receive a pillow thrown to his face).

After that, he was quick to take it seriously. He actually quite enjoyed it, too. Eating a heck of a lot of food usually just made him lazy, but after that, he never felt so refreshed.

They would do a fair bit of training on the sand when the sun had set, further away from the docks to avoid an audience. Gladio couldn't recall seeing her fight a whole lot with an edged weapon, but she did have some experience - more than he expected, at least. She even had a sickle in her void of weapons that doubled as an extendable scythe; she explained she had gotten it as a gift from Aranea a while back during the Starscourge.

After a time, her movements quickened, almost to the point where he couldn't keep up. Maybe it was the sand slowing him down. It did definitely do more to challenge the body's stamina. Either way, he had been shoved backwards by her boot, and as the blade neared his torso, he found himself bested. Gladio breathed heavily, just staring at her. She did good. She looked even better, sweating and rosy as she stood over him.

Suddenly, he grabbed the sickle just behind the blade, pulling it to the side to bring her down on top of him. He did it meticulously so as not to hurt himself, and it would fall to the sand behind his head as he caught her.

He didn't think he could keep up this waiting for much longer.

She gasped suddenly, and he wasn't going to act like he didn't know what for. His cock was throbbing against his pants, and she had pretty much landed on it. It wasn't like it could be missed. Feeling her on it only made it more alert.

"Gladio... you're..."

She bit her bottom lip. That was what he wanted to see. It was a sure sign that said she wanted him, too. He wondered how long she might have been struggling with it, and if she recently touched herself at night. He had been tempted himself, but he wanted the wait to be worth it.

"What?" he asked with a sly grin. He was unable to help but urge her further, pressing his hips up against hers. She wore a knee-length skirt, so it gave him easy access to her center. Even through his leather, he could feel the warm stickiness of her.

She moaned a little, and it sent chills down his spine. "You're so hard..." she gasped. Damn right, he was. Something about the thrill of the fight had gotten him a little excited, but now, he couldn't ignore it anymore. He was patient for long enough to let her get over everything - over Ardyn and all the guilt she felt. If anything, this would help if she wasn't fully over it.

But something told him he had nothing to worry about.

He started unfastening his button and zipper, but as he worked at the second part, he felt her hand on his wrist, stopping him.

Damnit. Maybe he had read her wrong. But that couldn't be right. She seemed so lustful just a moment ago, the way she spoke when she noted his arousal. He watched as her face leaned in towards his, and his eyes closed as their lips touched.

It was gentle - not something he was accustomed to, but he could most definitely start. His hands rested on her waist, when they would have usually been roaming to her breasts or her backside by now. He restrained from taking it too far. Let her steer the wheel for once.

It actually felt quite nice, letting her control the situation, even if he was hard as a rock. She pulled back from the kiss, and as he wondered if she was going to stop there, her fingertips gently caressed the two scars that crossed over his left eye. Over time, they had faded a good deal, but they would never fully vanish. Yet, she seemed to admire his battle scars, and as she sank backwards a little, she began to gently caress the larger one across his chest.

Gladio watched with intrigue. He had been ready to say something, but as if she read his mind, she spoke softly against his skin. "Don't worry. I'm not going to heal them."

He had been proud of his scars, and he was certain she already knew that. With that confirmed, he leaned his head back with a grin. "Good."

"Your scars are what make you who you are," she then said, and her kisses started to sink even lower. Damn, it felt nice... "You wouldn't be Gladio without them."

He craned his head to watch her kissing down his abdomen, lips tracing over his muscles as if she was Shiva blessing each one. Except, these kisses were warm.

Then, he heard the zipper come down. Before he could stop himself, he gasped as she wrapped her mouth around him. He couldn't take his eyes away from her, and even as her head would bob up and down along his member, the sight just made him ache for that release.

"Nyxia..." His fingers tangled themselves in her intense, copper hair, egging her on as she would keep sucking him. He heard her moan, the vibration being sent through his shaft like an electric pulse.

Her hand then worked in time with her lips, coaxing him further. Gladio found it difficult to keep his voice down. It just felt so incredible.

His grip tightened as she would milk him at last, and to his surprise, she swallowed down every last drop. He watched in amazement as she sat up with a somewhat coy smile, yet realized he was still horny for her.

"Get over here," he growled, pulling her back up so she could straddle him. His cock was still wet with saliva, allowing him to penetrate her with the utmost ease. Not to mention, she was soaking wet already.

Her hands pressed against his tattooed shoulders, propping herself up as she would ride him, and for the first time, he let her. She looked beautiful, moonlight giving a glow to her skin, which he couldn't help but reveal more of as he pulled down the zipper of her top. His arm held her as he would sit up, his other hand anchored into the sand to balance as he would thrust himself up into her, matching her rhythm. He'd kiss her chest, occasionally sucking her nipple into his mouth just to elicit another, pleasurable sound from her.

She could feel her walls tightening around him, her quiet moans high in pitch as she tried to keep from being too loud. They were a good ways from the hotel, but that didn't mean they couldn't draw attention to them if they weren't careful.

"Gladio, I'm gonna come..." she whimpered, and he eagerly increased his thrusts, ready to feel that squeeze of her muscles around him. He hadn't felt it in a few months, but there was something different to come out of this, not just pure, animalistic sex.

He pulled her into a steamy kiss as she climaxed, not just because he wanted to, but more or less to keep her cries to a minimum. She moaned against his lips, and he echoed the sound, his body gradually stopping as hers did the same.

He was still firm as she pulled off of him, but he knew he was going to need a shower, with all this sand in his pants now. She'd need one, too. That would be a nice opportunity to resume the fun.

After they both fixed themselves up, he would kiss her again, finding it hard to keep his hands off of her. Yet, she would surprise him with words he had secretly been wanting to hear for a while now.

"I love you, Gladio..."

She had been straightforward about it, too - something he had struggled to do before. He never felt so elated. His heart was all...weird and fluttery, but at the same time, it just felt right.

"I have a strong admiration for you, too," he said, pretending to be casual about it. It didn't matter. She already knew the truth, and being a sap about it wasn't exactly his forte.

She grinned at him, nudging him in the side with her knuckle before she would grab her sickle. "Let's get back to the room."


	55. Blindsided

As fun as it had been, and as violently as she had come, Nyxia never wanted to have sex on the beach again. The sand had somehow managed to find its way into every fold of clothing, and the walk back to the resort was a bit uncomfortable, though they both laughed about having sand in their underwear.

Despite the discomfort to follow, Nyxia still felt elated, almost euphoric all the way. As she had been riding him, she was in pure bliss, feeling so high that she could write her name across the sky.

She had anticipated another round of excitement when they got back to the room, though at least expected he would wait to pursue her after they were cleaned and out of the shower.

Instead, he turned her to the wall and bent her over enough to fill her again. As he pounded into her, the shower would rinse the rest of the lathered soap from their bodies, ridding them of the dirt and sweat.

It was the cleanest sex she ever had, truly. But by the time they had finished, the water was cold, forcing them to hurry out and dry off. Despite having two beds in the room they had rented, they wound up only using one.

It felt nice, being held in his arms, even as he fell asleep. She was still trying to wind down, never having been one to go straight to bed after a long day.

Nonetheless, Nyxia felt more at peace than she had in a long, long time. She was finally able to let her guilt go, as well as the pains of the past. Gladiolus hadn't given up on her, and in fact, seemed to find a whole new faith in her not just as a person, but as her lover. She wouldn't let him down again. She wouldn't let any of them down, so as long as she drew breath.

And though he served as her Shield still, Nyxia sought to protect him just the same.

His breathing finally lulled her to sleep, even as it fanned over her shoulder blade. She hadn't stirred much at all throughout the night. In fact, it was one of the better nights of sleep she had in a good while. For once, she wasn't tormented by self-deprecating thoughts.

She was stirred from her sleep by a tickle at her neck. It took her a few seconds to realize he was kissing it, but it was as soon as she started showing awareness that he stopped.

"Mmm... the sun isn't even up yet..."

"Best time to run, before it gets too hot."

"Run?" she whined, pulling the covers over her head. "You're crazy." The bed shifted as Gladio climbed off, and she heard him shuffle for a clean change of clothes. Nyxia remained under the sheets, far too tired to follow suit. Then, suddenly, the bedsheet was yanked from her body. Only down to a bralette and boy-shorts underwear, she instantly felt the cool air of the room hit her skin.

Gladio was quick to climb over her, grinning as he'd force her out of her fetal position, rendering her into a fit of laughter and struggle. "Tell you what," he said, pinning her wrists down to the mattress. "I'll make it worth your while."

"Oh?" she recuperated, grinning. "And how will you do that?"

He got up again, leaving her hanging. "You'll find out, but you gotta get up."

He had her motivated, and once Nyxia got herself dressed, she followed him outside. They jogged in time with each other down the walkway and across the sand, their destination taking them past the parking lot and towards the cliffside. Once the coast of Galdin Quay had disappeared over the hills, they took a break beneath a large, weeping willow.

Out of breath, Nyxia leaned on the tree, though her partner seemed pretty relaxed, being a lot more in shape than her.

As her breathing steadied, Nyxia pulled away from the trunk. Just as she did, Gladio reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out what appeared to be a blindfold. Nyxia paused, unsure of whether or not to be concerned. Seeing her reluctance, he chuckled.

"Relax, it's training."

"What kind of training?" she asked curiously, realizing this might not be taking the kinky turn she was expecting.

"If there's one thing I've learned, you can never have enough training that challenges your five senses. If you were in a pitch-black room, how do you expect to fight your enemy, especially with no spells to help light the room?"

"Good question," she murmured. The material was placed over her eyes, and as he securely tied it to the back of her head. It was still dark outside, and so there was no way for her to even catch a glimpse of him through the material.

"The key is to listen for every movement," she heard him say. "No weapons, just face where you think you hear me."

"Okay." Nyxia positioned herself to face him, so far having no problems in following his voice. She heard his shoes scrape the earth, moving to her left, three paces or so. He wasn't making it very obvious, just seemed to be walking normally. Then, he moved to the right. He kept going, and she felt she must have made a full circle before he stopped again. She was pretty sure she had her back facing the tree, if not at least pretty close to it.

It was silent, but she listened carefully. Then, one step came straight towards her, and she matched it by stepping back. "Not bad," he said. "Now, I'm going to come at you, and you need to block."

"Shit," she groaned. "Okay, I'm ready."

She wasn't ready.

She heard him come forward again, and she ducked down. She had managed to dodge the first blow, but as the side of his hand hit her in the back (not necessarily hard, though), she knew this wouldn't be so easy.

She had to focus more. He moved to the left, but instead of blocking low, she should have blocked high. Immediately after hitting her a second time, he slapped her on the ass.

"Hey, that doesn't count," she pouted.

"Sure it does."

They kept at it for a while longer, and as they did, Nyxia consistently was getting better. Not that she was ready to face a hoarde of daemons in absolute darkness today, but she certainly felt more comfortable about the practice than she did thirty minutes ago.

As Gladio removed the blindfold for her, she felt a bit disoriented. "I wonder how Ignis handled it," Nyxia murmured. When she first met the trio, Ignis had been blind, and she wondered it then, too. Of course, she never asked. It just seemed kind of rude, at the time.

"Hm. It took him a while, but he's tougher than he looks. He was grateful for what you did for him, though. I never saw that guy shed a tear once in his life until he got his vision back."

Nyxia smiled a little, glad to know her work was appreciated. It did make her ail to perform such a spell, but it was a small price to pay for such a miracle.

"I wish I could have seen that," she said. By now, the sun was just beginning to rise over the trees, giving an orange color to the skies. It was usually a sign that a storm was coming, but they had some time to themselves out here. At least they were out of sight from the road.

"Should we get some breakfast?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. "But first...I think I remember making you a promise." Nyxia was pushed up against the tree, and she gasped a bit, her heartbeat quickening.

"Is this part of the training?" she murmured.

"You certainly don't need to hone those skills," he said with a flirtatious smile. "I told you I'd make it worth your while, didn't I?"

Nyxia grabbed him by the front of his open jacket, pulling him into her more as she welcomed the willow's truck against her back. "Oh, yeah. I guess you did."


	56. Make Yourself At Home

It took a couple of months more for the palace to be fully transformed, and Nyxia saw it through to the very end. By the end of autumn, it had accomplished a number of things - one that was designated for those who wanted to train to be Glaives. In one sense, it had been a way to help give back what they had lost in numbers, but it would also continue down many generations, and though Cor Leonis wouldn't be able to keep up being a Glaive himself forever, he had many, close followers that would help in this cause, either as trainers or other higher staff.

Nyxia remained a nurse within, happy to do what she did best. She hardly even had time to sort through her belongings when she moved into her own, subtle condo closer towards the outskirts of the city.

Finally, Iris insisted she take a week and just relax. If she needed her, she'd let her know. Nyxia confessed she did feel overworked, but nowadays, she knew she could trust Iris. She looked at her like a sister (and perhaps others might mistaken them as such, especially since they had a similar style in clothes - Nyxia just leaned slightly more towards the gothic style), and knew the hospital wing was in good hands while she got herself accustomed to her new home.

Gladiolus was never too far away, which was necessary for him being her Shield. He knew when to keep things formal between them, though everyone knew by now they were close. They just didn't need to know what went on behind closed doors.

For once, however, they managed to keep their hands off each other long enough for him to help her get things organized in the apartment. Some things went to the curb. No longer considering herself royalty, she was fine with parting with some unneeded luxuries - even Ardyn's gifted cello was reluctantly disposed of.

She knew that playing it would only make her dwell on the past, and so there was no room for it in this small abode.

The bed frame managed to fit just fine in the bedroom, and while Gladio got it set up and put together, Nyxia took off her leather jacket and put up her intense, copper hair into a hairtie. She got to work in the kitchen, putting some of the smaller appliances, plates, and utensils into place.

"Hey, you hungry?" she called to him down the hall.

"You gotta ask?" he teased, calling back to her.

Duh, of course. He was almost always hungry.

"Right," she said with a grin. As she was sorting some salvaged food into the pantries, she set aside two Cup Noodles. She wasn't going to go fancy with it, but she knew he wouldn't complain one way or another.

She taste-tested the tap water before she put it into the stryofoam cups, then, as she waited for them to heat up in the microwave, she continued putting the other food items away. As she did, she turned on some music on her smart phone - some heavy, rock tunes that they both could agree on, though the volume was relatively low.

Shortly after the microwave's timer went off, she checked on their meals to make sure they were ready. Nyxia took another minute to find the chopsticks.

"You know the way to a man's stomach," she heard Gladio say from the doorway of the kitchen. She grinned, digging through another box before she located a smaller container with a large number of chopsticks.

"You're not hard to please," she answered, handing him a pair. There were no chairs in the kitchen yet, so she lifted herself up onto the counter.

For a few minutes, they ate wordlessly, enjoying the heavy metal playing subtly on her phone.

"So, I heard Prompto is going daemon hunting tonight. Guess who he's going with."

"Hm... Aranea?"

Gladio grinned a little. "Good guess."

Not that it was difficult. It was pretty obvious that he really liked her - it was only a matter of time before he would find an excuse to spend time with her without his buddies around.

"Maybe they'll actually hit it off. I hope so. He deserves it."

He chuckled, leaning against another counter close by. "He deserves a girlfriend who could kick his ass any day of the week?"

That wasn't what she meant, but she knew he was just poking fun. "Yeah, she'd definitely be wearing the pants in that relationship."

After finishing another bite, Gladio spoke again. "I think he really liked you, you know."

"Prompto?" she asked. Not that it was any big secret. Prompto might not have ever confessed it, but she wasn't stupid.

Well, not _that_ stupid.

"I think I kind of always knew that," she said, feeling weird about the topic, especially with her lover. "But Prompto and I have always only been really good friends. It's just weird to think of him as anything more than that, even before we found the Gem."

"You mean, before we were at each other's throats in the hotel room."

Nyxia thought she might have been blushing. "Yeah, that." It was strange, how their relationship had started all because of a heated argument. "Ravatogh seems so long ago now."

"What a rocky start, huh?" he said.

"No kidding," she smiled faintly, but Gladio was just looking at her as if he was waiting for another response.

"That went over your head completely, didn't it?"

"What?" she murmured, legitimately confused. Then, it took her a few seconds. "Oh. Gladio, that was awful."

Damn puns. She hadn't fully gotten accustomed to the Chocobro talk just yet.

He smirked, setting down his half-emptied dinner before he would step to her, wedging himself between her knees.

"Not my fault you can't appreciate a good joke."

"Yeah, okay," she said through a mouthful of noodles. She tried to fight back laughter as his fingers playfully jabbed at her sides. " _Noooo,_ don't _do_ that!"

Of course, her protest only encouraged him, and as she set down the cup on the counter (it was any wonder it hadn't spilled), she was almost breathless from the tickling.

Then, in hopes to distract him, she kissed him, and it actually seemed to work. His hands stopped, and the mood changed dramatically. Humor certainly could be an aphrodisiac in and of itself; it certainly wasn't the Cup Noodles doing it to her.

"We don't even have the mattress in there yet," he growled in between kisses, and Nyxia smiled faintly. For someone with a wild, sex drive, he certainly wasn't being very imaginative.

"Who says we need a bed?" she asked suggestively, her fingers gripping for the bottom of his black tank top. He was more than accommodating as she pulled it over his head and onto the kitchen floor.

"You naughty devil," he growled, kissing at her neck. "We'll never get anything done at this rate."

Nyxia shivered, her excitement elevating. The two of them had been finding it difficult to make time for one another this past week, so the tension was definitely thick. She had been itching to get her hands on him for a while now, and she was sure he felt the same way.

"You're right," she suddenly muttered, forcing herself to pull back from him. "Go get the box spring and the mattress." While she desperately wanted to fuck Gladio senseless, she did want to make at least a little more progress. The least they could do was empty the truck outside.

He didn't look like he wanted to leave it there any more than she did, but he showed self-control, nonetheless. As he went to grab the rest of the stuff, Nyxia would take another bite of her noodles before getting back to work. The knife block was put on the counter, and from the box, she drew out the sharp edges that belonged to it.

Another ten minutes of focused work had Nyxia pretty content with what they brought so far, though it would take probably two more trips to get all of her belongings there. She still had the dresser with all of her clothes, as well as a couple of lamps and end tables. And the books. So many books. She had already pulled the ones she wanted to take with her. It was already decided that anything informative would remain at the palace, but she did have her own collection of fictional stories that she had been meaning to pick up.

Suddenly, Gladio's voice sounded from the bedroom. "Nyxia, get in here. We got a problem." He sounded alarmed, and it had Nyxia dropping the silver spoons in her hand to see what was happening.

She came into the room, momentarily taken aback by the fact that he was just lounging on the bed, which was made up in sheets and everything. It was just missing its canopy, but that was still in her old room.

Beside her, she could see a reflection of the bed, the sliding doors of the closet full mirrors reflecting the entirety of the room.

"Quit slacking, Gladio," she said, though she knew that considering the fact he had taken his shirt off, he most definitely was not slacking. He was up to something.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, using a couple of fingers to summon her his way. Nyxia grinned a little, deciding that he'd worked hard enough to get what he wanted. They both had.

As she walked in front of him, she allowed him to pull off her shirt, then watched as he would unclasp her black jeans, then accommodated as he went to remove them, helping the process along. He laid down on the bed, and she climbed on top of him. As she kissed him, she felt his fingers methodically remove her bra.

She had thought he wanted her to ride him, but she was in for a surprise as he pulled at her hips. "Come here."

She knew what he wanted, and she eagerly shimmied over him, her hands grabbing the sheets of the bed as she hovered herself over his face. His tongue teased her, causing her to jump. It was a strange sensation, as it felt good, but somehow, it tickled at the same time.

As pleasure consumed her more and more, she moaned, her back flexing as she sat up on her knees. Then, as she happened to glance to her left, she saw their reflection in the mirror. It was oddly exciting, being a voyeur to their own show, but what really seemed to thrill her was catching him as he was tugging at his own cock.

Biting her lip, she watched the reflection, how his hand worked slowly. She usually would have been happy satisfying him, but knowing he was getting off on her just made her even more horny.

He hadn't seemed to notice her discovery, but his free hand squeezed at her backside, and his efforts seemed to intensify. She moaned again, louder this time. As Gladio sounded a groan of approval against her flesh, he continued pleasuring himself in the process. Nyxia couldn't bring herself to stop him. It was mouth-watering to witness, and yet, at the same time, she wanted to be the one to touch him.

He started sucking at her clit, and instantly, she knew she couldn't stop now. Her fingers clutched tighter at the sheets as he lapped at the juices. By now, he was at full throttle, but she reached her maximum as she felt his thumb insert itself between her cheeks and against the tiny hole in between. She tightened at first, but as he eased the appendage slowly into her, she was soon overwhelmed with a kind of pleasure she had never been introduced to before.

Hearing her gasps and cries, he slowly drove it in and out of her asshole, his tongue still working feverishly at the nubbin in his mouth. Nyxia felt her body buckle and tighten, and it got to a point where she couldn't help but practically fuck herself on his hand. She didn't think something so unfamiliar to her would make her blow so hard. She trembled as he drank her up, and she'd let him lay her down on her back as he sat up.

She stared up at Gladio in a daze, her heart pounding like a hammer against her chest. He readied himself between her legs, coating his shaft in the slick honey, but before he could push in, Nyxia reached a hand between them, grabbing him to redirect it towards her back end.

 _It might hurt a little._.. she told herself.

But wasn't she a little bit of a sucker for pain?

He pushed in, considerately slow as he filled her. Nyxia couldn't help but wince a little as he did, but she urged him to keep going even still. Gladio pushed deeper, each thick inch of him easing into her until the hilt pushed against her mounds.

He looked to be in so much ecstasy, yet he wouldn't continue until she gave him the okay. At this point, she felt confident that she was fine, and she encouraged him to go ahead, nodding. She gasped as he would start pulling out again, almost the entire length leaving her empty, save for the head. Then, he would push back in.

Nyxia moaned loudly, her body lifting slightly from the bed as she flexed. As a rhythm began to develop, he pulled her legs up, thrusting steadily into her. It had to be an almost suffocating squeeze, as she could even tell how tight it was around him.

Yet, he showed nothing but pure rapture. Soon, he was turning her around, pounding into the same crevice from behind as he would pull her up into an almost sitting position. In front of them, their reflection showed a clear view of the act. One hand found her pussy, rubbing it with determination as the other grabbed one of her bouncing breasts. At this rate, Nyxia was climbing the ladder of ecstasy again.

"Gladio... oh, fuck..." She moaned loudly, her back rubbing against his muscular chest as he rammed into her. He knew the signs of when she was close, and he held back his own climax only for when she had finished.

Not that he could hold it back longer than that, even if he wanted to. Her asshole clenched so tightly around him as she came a second time, a vice grip that was as if it triggered his climax by force. They both groaned in pleasure, and he kissed her shoulder as they rode out the last waves of pleasure before collapsing to the newly made bed.

She couldn't explain why it seemed as such, but she felt as though this new experience had left her euphoric and accomplished, almost as if she had elevated into a higher state of being.


	57. Fondness

Since progress had steadied in the rebuilding, Ignis had been spending a lot of his time looking for a way to permanently destroy the Gem. Since Nyxia had used it on herself, the star itself had diminished, it seemed, leaving nothing but the red gem to survive within the socket of an ornate ring.

It was curious, how the artifact had reacted in such a fashion, but when he stumbled across it on the floor of Insomnia's throne room, he was surprised it had been overlooked all of that time.

He held onto it in secret for the entirety of the remodel, but it weighed heavily on his mind until he could sit himself down in the extensive library and find out more about it.

The alchemist that worked alongside Cingarus had never reached a conclusion on how to destroy the gem once and for all, but Ignis found himself determined to pick up where the old man left off. There was no good in taking the chance of a repeat.

It had been used already, devoid of much of its power. Perhaps it wouldn't be as hard as he first imagined. While he knew he was perfectly capable of taking on the research on his own, he consulted Evelina, who he discovered was quite the savvy sort in this field.

With the palace seeing so many new faces now, Evelina was able to visit the library without any eyebrows raised. As he saw her come through the doorway, he stood up to greet her. Yet, what happened next completely through him off his guard. Her hands came up to his face, taking it between them as her lips clashed into his. For a brief moment, he clumsily leaned into the kiss, though his hands took a second or two to find a place to reside, luckily finding her hips after he overcame his surprise.

His mind whirred with excitement and disbelief. He had to be in some sort of dream, but that didn't explain how this could feel so real.

"Sorry..." she murmured softly, pulling back by half an inch. "I guess I'm happy to see you."

Ignis smiled, overcoming his stupefaction. "There is nothing to apologize for."

He would kiss her now, the gesture lingering for a graceful moment before he would force himself to tear away. Footsteps in the hallway outside provided him an excuse, though he partially would have loved to keep her in his arms. "Let's refer to the books, shall we?"

The ring sat on the table between the two of them as they orchestrated their research. Sharing out loud what they came across, a lot of what they found so far really hadn't helped them. Then, he heard a sound from Evelina that suggested she might have found something of use.

"Ah!"

He looked up from his rather useless book, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do share."

"'S _teyliff Grove, a remnant of the ancient civilization of Solheim, was full of mystical phenomena. It once contained a basin of water that was designed to wash away any magic in substances placed into it, either humans or inanimate objects.'_ Although, I imagine after all of these years of it being abandoned and in ruins, that basin is probably long dried up."

For a moment, Ignis recalled visiting this mentioned place almost fifteen years ago. "Water..." he mentioned. "If I recall Solheim's dedication to Ifrit, they look upon water as the element of death." He paused, recalling more vividly now when he accompanied Noctis to Steyliff Grove to find mithril. "The water... I believe it's still there."

Evelina gave him a look of surprise. "Really?" she asked eagerly. "Do you think we should maybe go check it out?"

Ignis wanted to agree, but he knew that this might be a little too impulsive. "Does the passage say anything about how to destroy the artifact, exactly?"

She scanned over the page for a moment, her finger scrolling the text before she would shake her head. "It just seems to indicate that it has to be put in the water, and that's it. No incantations, no spells..."

"It sounds simple, but therein lies one dilemma," Ignis stated.

"What's that?"

"The water is on the ceiling."

At first, Evelina was just giving him a clueless look, as if she hadn't fully comprehended that this was meant to be taken in the most literal context. "I'm sorry, did you just say...?"

"Yes. The water is, indeed, floating."

"So...how do we get the ring to it?"

Throwing it into the water would not be possible - no throw would reach quite that far, but perhaps a makeshift stairwell could be made... but that would require muscle.

"We will need assistance. Let me make a call to Gladio...if he isn't too preoccupied." He knew too well that Gladiolus and Nyxia had gotten close over these past couple of months. It took them quite some time to rekindle their flame, that Ignis had been about to start asking questions, but though they kept their relationship professional in front of the eyes of others, Ignis saw the way they glanced at each other. He hadn't decided yet if it was charming, or just plain annoying.

Yet, perhaps he could relate, considering he seemed to be giving Evelina that glance right now. He snapped himself out of it, speed-dialing Gladio and waiting through three rings before he would get an answer.

"Yeah?"

"I may have a lead on destroying our Necromancer's Gem," he spoke, his other hand picking up the ring and absently twirling it between his fingers. He had enough experiences with corrupted jewelry - it was time to ensure this one saw its end, too.

"Is that right?" Gladio replied.

"I'll need some extra muscle, but...I feel that it may be necessary to leave Nyxia out of this."

What was first intrigue then turned into reluctance. "You think so?"

"There's no telling what may occur when we take this ring where it needs to go, Gladio. We can't risk losing her again." If there was one thing Ignis had learned, it was that magic always came with a price. Such powerful magic could not just...disappear.

There was five seconds of silence on the other end, then... "Okay. Where are we going?"

After making a couple of phone calls, one including a request made to Cor to keep Nyxia busy for a few days with errands to run, Ignis met up with Gladiolus to give him the lineup of the plan. Ignis's idea was to use the rubble in the ruins to build a ladder to the floating lake. Once the ring was put into the water, it would do the rest of the work. Prompto stayed behind, instructed to keep an eye on Nyxia and provide himself as company. After all, it was anticipated to be a simple task. They weren't on a hunt for mythril.

As they rode the onyx Vixen that Gladiolus had mysterious acquired, Ignis confessed it was nice to be able to enjoy the passenger's seat for a change. Gladiolus was a perfectly capable driver, though it was rare to ever see him behind the wheel. Though, he couldn't help but express curiosity.

"This automobile... How did you come to acquire it, Gladio?"

He saw him smile faintly, though his eyes remained focused on the road before them. "I found it in Lucis," he said. "Worked some things out with Cor and some higher-ups to get my name on it." This only raised more questions in his head, but before he could ask, Gladiolus already seemed to understand his confusion. "I'm surprised you don't recognize it."

 _Recognize it?_

He gave the burgundy interior a closer look. It all looked so new and polished, but this hint made Ignis realize he had been fooled. For a moment, his heart began to quicken, but as if Gladio noticed his anxiety, he gave him a light shove with his fist.

"Relax, Iggy. It's just me."

Ignis huffed a bit. He was just being paranoid. The Marshal had even confirmed Ardyn was truly gone - and here Ignis was, thinking he was being kidnapped by The Usurper.

"Certainly would have been a plot twist if I wasn't, huh?" Gladio made a left turn that would take them onto the main road, and in response, Ignis chuckled a bit.

"One can't be too careful. You did have me worried for a moment."

"Sorry about that."

"She is a beauty, though, the Vixen."

Gladiolus didn't answer right away, and it got to the point where Ignis began to wonder if he had heard him. However, he seemed momentarily solemn. "Yeah... Still nothing like the Regalia, though."

Ah. Ignis smiled faintly, albeit somewhat sadly. No matter how many times he went into a case of panic because of Noctis's poor driving, there were many fond memories of the Regalia. "Of course..."


	58. Reprise for Revenge

When Gladio had told her Ignis needed his assistance with something for a couple of days, Nyxia hadn't given it much concern. She trusted her Shield would come back soon, and though he was known to have a history of being a relentless flirt with the ladies, she didn't doubt his loyalty to her. Things were different during those times. She practically forgot the moments when she would roll her eyes at him every time he tried to subtly wedge his way into a conversation with someone like Cindy or Holly. Of course, they both seemed dismissive, more passionate about their jobs than they were with coy, cute men.

Nowadays, he seemed all about her, and Nyxia felt confident that she had been keeping his hands full in one form or another. She only hoped he held the same confidence in her, despite everything in the past.

As was designed, the former queen was kept busy almost as soon as Gladiolus left. Prompto had come to pick her up from the apartment and take her to Cape Caem. He smelled distinctly of chocobos, which suggested to her that he had just come from the ranch. Nyxia never really cared for the smell, having been so accustomed to the royal life away from all of that, but the creatures themselves were quite cute and agile, and they deserved nothing but respect.

He had to pick up some specific greens growing in Iris's garden to take back to the ranch, and so, asked Nyxia to tag along. One of the chocobos, a rare, black one, was sick, and so, to prevent it from spreading to the others, they kept it quarantined, but it would need a precise remedy to get well. That was where the once-sorceress would come in. While she no longer had magical abilities, she still retained an extensive knowledge of healing procedures and recipes. She knew exactly what combination of greens they would need to help.

Riding on the back of the motorcycle, Nyxia held onto Prompto as they rode down the breezy strip towards the lighthouse. At least the wind wasn't hitting them in the face, thanks to both of them having their helmets. They didn't stay at Iris's for very long - though she had been quite curious as to how her brother and his _girlfriend_ were faring. While Prompto was picking the necessary herbs from the garden with care, he put them into a satchel he brought along.

"So, are you guys going steady, or...?" Iris left the question wide open.

"Uh," Nyxia shifted her foot on the ground, looking at the waves beyond the cliff. "I'm not gonna answer that."

"Oooh, I see!" The girl was teasing her now, nudging her playfully with her elbow. "Gladdy and Nyxie, sitting in a tree..."

 _"Prompto, are you done yet!?"_ she called out towards the garden, evasively jogging away from Iris, though she couldn't help but laugh. No doubt, Iris was just happy to finally see them work things out and make it official. Once they were on the road again, Nyxia held onto the bag for him. By now, she had gotten used to the farm smell that soaked his clothes, but the constant wind did help keep it at bay, for the most part.

It was a long drive back to the chocobo ranch, which was remarkably still owned by Wiz, who was still alive and well, even though old age did seem to be getting the best of him. He was slow in getting up from the chair, but nonetheless, was eager to greet Prompto, who was a regular face around here.

"Thank ya'll for bringing 'em back so quick," he said. Nyxia would hand over the satchel to him. She had never met Wiz before, but Prompto had spoken quite highly of him in the past. It was nice to be able to finally put a face to the name. "Ya'll are welcome to make yerselves comfortable while I get her feelin' better."

"Thanks!" Prompto chimed. In exchange for the favor, lunch was on the house, and they both had a healthy, club sandwich as they sat outside. It was a beautiful day to enjoy the outdoors. As they ate, Nyxia finally asked a question that had been on her mind for the past hour or so.

"Prompto," she began slowly.

"Mmyeh?" he answered, his mouth full of ham and bacon. There was mayo all over the left side of his mouth. She laughed, pointing at her own face to indicate.

"You got a little something there." He wiped it away with a napkin as he chewed on, and Nyxia continued. "You and Cindy go on that date yet?"

His eyes got a little big, and he choked on his bite for a moment. Once he recuperated, he stuttered. "Say what?"

Nyxia smiled, not ready to tell him what she already knew. While she had been staying with Cindy, she learned a few things about her, as well as her very recent relationship with the photographer. He finally bucked up the nerve to ask her out to dinner, and the girl admitted it was actually quite smooth, which was an amazing feat, as far as Nyxia was concerned. Cindy claimed she was 'still thinking about it', but Nyxia could tell she was just being modest. She was totally all about it.

And here she was, thinking he might have hit it off with Aranea instead, but maybe she was a little out of his league.

"It's okay, Prompto. You can tell me."

Finally, he smiled a little. They had spent a couple of years confiding in each other. Why stop now?

"Actually, yeah."

"Aww," she cooed. "Cute."

"Aww, shaddup." Prompto grinned, sipping down some water to wash down his food. "There's a lot more to her than just cars. You know?"

"Yeah, I know," Nyxia agreed, smiling. She glanced over her friend's shoulder to briefly examine the chocobos in their pens. They seemed quite relaxed. Prompto followed her gaze, then smiled.

"We should ride while we're here."

"R-ride?" Nyxia hesitated, sinking in her chair a little bit. She took another bite of her sandwich, shaking her head. She had never been on the back of a chocobo before; the thought terrified her. They were stinky and somewhat erratic. What if she made it mad and it started thrashing her around? "I'm good," she mumbled with a mouth full of food.

"Aw, come on! Don't be a chicken." Before she could protest any further, she was being pulled out of her chair and towards the gate. "It's okay, just be cool, and they'll be cool back."

He seemed to know exactly what he was doing as he drew out one of the yellowed chocobos by its reins. It seemed quite calm as it stood in front of her, flapping its wings only for a moment before giving her a rather curious, adorable look with its beady, black eyes.

Inhaling, she raised her hand slowly toward its face, then let it hang for a moment. It nudged its beak into her palm, as if eager for a pet on the head. "Aw," Nyxia smiled, rubbing its beak before she would stroke it gently along its feathers. Prompto would show her how to mount the bird before they would take the empty race track for a casual stroll. It was actually quite nice, trotting down the path and enjoying the fresh air. They rode for about twenty minutes before they returned to the gate, where Wiz was waiting to give them the good news. The black chocobo was already showing signs of higher spirits, though she just seemed tired, but she would be recovering in no time, he informed.

A day's work left Nyxia feeling quite good with herself as Prompto returned her home. She was a part of making a sweet creature well again, and she got to ride a chocobo for the first time. It was nice to familiarize herself with the field of healing again.

As she stepped into the apartment on the third floor, she stifled a yawn and headed into the bathroom to get herself showered and changed into clean clothes. While she wreaked of chocobos, she discovered an appreciation for them and how pleasant it was to bond with them. Even still, she felt dirty, and she spent a good amount of time just enjoying the warm water as it tumbled upon her. Once she was done, she slipped on a pair of pajama short and a tank top before she would step out with a towel wrapped above her head. All she had was white towels - this one was destined to be stained from the red dye that was still in her hair. Cindy had warned her that it would take a few washes before it would stop bleeding altogether.

Eventually letting her hair fall messily about her shoulders, she tossed the towel into the laundry basket beside the machines. It was then that the rumbling sound of her stomach sounded through the silent apartment.

She made her way into the kitchen to raid the fridge. As she opened the door, she stood in front of it blankly. She hadn't really found much time to fill it up; she had been so busy trying to get moved into the place, she had been sticking with quick, non-perishable snacks. She wasn't left with much to choose from. There was bread, there was a lunchmeat...

Suddenly, she was torn away from the fridge, the room zipping past and above her as she was thrown to the floor. Nyxia cried out in alarm, her head slamming into the counter behind her before she could get a good look at her attacker. The kitchen was dark, and she only caught a glimpse of the shadow that was approaching her.

"You'll pay for what you did to them!" shouted a man's voice - one that was unfamiliar to her. A large dagger came down towards her, soon followed by a deafening, gunshot. Nyxia jumped, her blurred vision forcing her to squint as she looked to the direction of the front door. That was where the bang had come from, and though she could barely make out the shapes, she did see a man with his pistol pointed towards the intruder. It was most definitely Prompto. He hadn't hurt him yet - merely disarmed him, but his weapon was still at the ready.

"Get out." Prompto's voice sounded far away, somewhat muffled. She could barely make out the words.

Nyxia blinked again, her head pounding from the concussion. There was blood on the floor, and before she could distinguish anything more than the fact that it was coming from her own head, the room darkened around her...


	59. A Short Shot Away

It had been a fantastic day, totally, and Prompto was sorry to see it end - especially like this. He had been ready to take off on the motorcycle, but when he saw a figure in the window of the apartment that most definitely wasn't Nyxia, he went into panic mode. He ran up the stairs faster than he had ever run up stairs in his life, skipping steps along the way, and when he found the apartment door, he had all but slammed it open.

It registered to him right away who it was that had thrown Nyxia to the floor, but he had no time to express disbelief as he aimed the gun at the man's hand, delivering a shot to his weapon. He didn't want to hurt the Glaive, but it was obvious that one of them had somehow found out what really happened with Nyxia - what she had done under Ardyn's influence, and he was seeking revenge. Prompto understood his anger, but it was still not a good enough excuse.

The intruder seemed to have no intention of leaving, instead, coming at Prompto to launch himself at him. The gunner locked his pistol. He would not kill him, but if he had to give this guy a beating just to keep himself and Xia alive, he would.

He felt his back slam into the wall directly behind him, and he grunted before he would slam his gloved fist into the Glaive's jaw. He wasn't down for the count yet. Prompto readied himself as he watched him retrieve his blade from the ground. "You don't want this fight, dude. Come on, chill out."

Again, the enemy came at him, this time to strike low with his dagger. Prompto spun himself out of the way, using the hilt of the gun as a bat against the back of the Glaive's skull. Again, it seemed to discombobulate him a little, but he was still standing.

This guy just would not go down!

Suddenly, the Glaive came back with a vengeance, and Prompto yelped to jump back from the swing of his knife. This was why he much preferred ranged combat - this was way too close for comfort. He tried to gain distance between them, throwing one of the kitchen chairs at him to slow him down. However, the flying furniture was dodged. Suddenly, time seemed to stop as the dagger burrowed itself into Prompto's stomach. Shit... He had never felt pain like this before. He growled, though just as his stabber pulled the knife back out, he noticed the look of regret in his eyes.

Clutching at the wound, Prompto stumbled to the ground beside Nyxia. There wasn't much time. He had to call the closest person to get help... Cor...

He struggled to grab his phone from his pocket. There was blood everywhere. Prompto trembled, trying to keep his cool, but...damnit, he had never lost so much blood like this. He might not live to see another dinner date with Cindy, nor see his friends around him grow old.

"Noct, buddy... I might be seeing you soon..."

He closed his eyes, his breathing slowing slightly as he sank to the kitchen floor. Yet, he thought he faintly heard Nyxia's voice, followed by a strong grip on his arm. "No... don't you die on me, Prompto." It was hard to keep consciousness; he fought to open his eyes again, trying... and then, there came a bright, yellow light...

* * *

He dreamed of Gralea. That place was horrible - a nightmare full of memories he would never fully grasp. His true home, as it turned out. Prompto might have learned to accept his origin, but it still sometimes left a sour taste in his mouth. Even now, he could feel the chill of the snowy cliffs and the cold corridors in which he had been running through, taking down MTs not a whole lot different from him. The guilt still remained after all of this time, but he had to defend himself, didn't he?

He came into the giant chamber in which he had been created in, dumbfounded by the giant machines that filled it. He felt out of breath, as if he had been running from something. The, the power to the keep suddenly went out, leaving him in absolute darkness. Yet, somewhere around him, or maybe even from everywhere, he heard the distinguishable, villainous laughter that could only belong to Ardyn.

He shut his eyes tightly, his fists clenched in anger and hatred. Yet, as he opened them again, he realized he was no longer dreaming.

Nyxia sat in a chair beside the bed he was lying in, and he took another moment or two to realize he was still in her apartment. He sat up, his eyes wide as he saw her alive and...well, as well as she could be, with a giant bruise on the side of her face. Probably looked no worse than what he had going on. Yet, as Prompto lifted his shirt to look at his wound, he paused. There was nothing there - not even a scar. He looked at her in disbelief for a moment, noticing the somber look on her face.

"Xia...? Did you...?"

"Yeah," she murmured, sitting back in her chair for a moment. "You were going to die... I didn't know what to do, Prompto. I cried, tried to bandage you up, and then all of a sudden..." She held her hands up for a moment, then lowered them into her lap again. He wasn't understanding. Somehow, she healed him, but he thought she had lost all of her powers. Did they just magically reawaken when she got desperate enough to save a life?

"I'm not an Oracle, but...he was."

It took Prompto a moment to realize what she was saying, and then, his stomach did a turnover. "Ardyn." His voice wasn't exactly bitter this time, but the fact that Ardyn Izunia had left any part of him on this world, especially in poor Nyxia, did bother him. What if it gave him a chance to come back? Nothing was to say he couldn't... He had done it before.

"You didn't heal yourself," he said, pointing a finger carefully towards her black and blue temple.

"Nah... I'll be alright. I shouldn't waste my energy." She smiled faintly. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Prompto smiled back, sitting back in the bed. He felt perfectly fine, like he hadn't been stabbed, but he did feel kind of drowsy still - and maybe just a little hungry.

"I'm glad you're okay, too."


	60. No Consequences

The task seemed pretty simple, even after it was all said and done. Gladiolus was eager to return to Curia once they had left the swampy grove behind. Something seemed off, even when he spoke to Nyxia on the phone. She sounded distant, which was very unlike what he would have expected. He had hoped to flirt with her, but she had mentioned Prompto got hurt pretty badly, though she was pretty vague about what exactly happened.

He put the pedal to the metal, regardless of how uncomfortable it might have made Ignis feel. They would be getting to the apartment sooner than expected - about three hours ahead of schedule.

Gladio thought the worst as he ran up the stairs, leaving Iggy to his own devices to shut off the engine. As he all but broke down the door, he saw Nyxia and the gunner sitting at the kitchen table, watching television and drinking tea.

For a minute, he calmed down. He wasn't sure exactly what he expected to see. Yet, as Nyxia got up to greet him with a hug and a kiss, he stopped short as he noticed the bruise on the left side of her face.

"Xia... what the hell happened?"

In her defense, Prompto stood up from the couch. "A Glaive...kinda broke in and attacked her."

At first, the Shield was thoroughly convinced that this had to be made up. There was no way a _Glaive_ would do something as stupid as try to assassinate the former Queen of Curia. Was there?

Then, before he could stop himself, his hands rolled up into large fists at his sides. Maybe Prompto might have been more understanding and spared that bastard's life, but Gladiolus would have guaranteed not to be so gracious. His face grew hot, and he gritted his teeth. "Who was it?"

"Gladio, dude... Cor said-"

"You know that one way or another, I'll find out, even if I have to go to Cor myself." Even still, Prompto didn't seem ready to cash out the information.

"Remus Milton's brother," Nyxia finally uttered softly. She seemed on the verge of breaking down, and seeing this softened Gladio right up. He supposed he couldn't be too surprised - the guy had lost his younger brother in the palace, to the hands of Nyxia herself. She seemed completely wrought with guilt, and he didn't know how to comfort her.

"I'm sorry. I should have been here."

"There's something else..."

Astrals, what more was there? Gladiolus inhaled, as if bracing himself for the worst news to come. Behind him, he heard Ignis coming into the room now. "I guess I have...powers again...? At least to a certain degree. But they're not the same ones from before, they're..." She drifted, but Gladio was fairly certain he could make the connection. Even still, Ignis was adamant on stating it out loud.

"It appears that Ardyn may have passed on some of his abilities as Oracle onto her," he said.

"But it saved my life," Prompto added in, still defending Nyxia.

Damnit, she'd done it again. She found a way to stop pissing him off by having feelings. Gladio sighed, pulling Nyxia into his arms and against his broad chest. "When will you two stop getting into trouble?"

Prompto smiled faintly. "Bro, what about you guys? Did you do the thing?"

"Yeah, it's done." The gem was destroyed once and for all. Yet, in the back of his mind, he wondered if it had made any difference. Everything just seemed weird - out of whack. He'd been getting these headaches off and on, he was starting to wonder if this was what Noctis went through when Titan was speaking to him. Except, Gladiolus had no idea what he would say if an Astral even did as much as gave him a friendly greeting.

Once Ignis took his leave (he seemed eager to pass the good news onto Evelina), Prompto and Gladio stayed behind to keep the girl company. He should have stayed and do his job - be her goddamn Shield. He couldn't blame Iggy for needing his help, but in a way, he was wondering if there may have been a better way to go about it all. The ring was gone - that had to stand for something, right?

Finally, Prompto left, though the Shield wasn't exactly looking for an excuse to get Nyxia alone at this point. It had been a long, couple of days traveling to Steyliff Grove and back. As Nyxia sat on the couch, he would bring over an ice pack from the freezer. As he sat beside her, he carefully placed it against the bruise on her face. She flinched for a moment, then murmured.

"Brr... cold..."

Gladiolus smiled a bit. "Well, no shit."

At this, she smiled, too. "Hey. I've got enough sass on my own. I don't need any extra from you." She took the ice pack, holding it to her head.

"My bad." He sat back in the sofa, watching as she would use her free hand to flip through the channels on the television. All of the news channels either seemed to be talking about the new headquarters in Curia, Nyxia dropping her royal title, or the upcoming, annual chocobo race that was in a couple of days. "Eventually, this whole thing will blow over," he said, trying to reassure her. He knew she was tired of being a celebrity. At least the public wasn't aware of the corruption she had gone through.

"Um..." Suddenly, Nyxia stopped, and he noticed how her eyes had gotten big at the screen. Gladio looked, paying more attention to the breaking news.

 _"This just in, a body was discovered earlier this evening, just a couple miles east of the Disc of Cauthess, lying on the side of the road. Identified to be a Glaive by the name of Felix Milton. It is believed to be that like his brother and the Glaives found in the former palace of Curia, he was brutalized by daemons. We will keep you updated on further details..."_

"Gods..." Nyxia muttered, and for a moment, Gladio shared her disbelief. At the same time, he was surprised with himself for not showing a little more empathy about the Glaive. He took a moment to excuse himself from the room, dialing Cor's number to ensure he was holding up okay. He already knew what had happened - well before the media found out, obviously. He also apologized that Felix had acted as he did the night before - how he found out the truth was beyond him, but he promised that Nyxia's secret died with her assaulter.

"How are you two holding up?" Cor had asked from the other end of the line.

"Could be worse, I guess," Gladiolus said. He wasn't about to bring up the Oracle powers to him - there was no need to worry Cor any more than necessary right now.

As he returned to the living room, Nyxia had fallen asleep, still sitting up on the sofa. He smiled. She looked so peaceful, even cute, in a way.

Yet, the Shield still couldn't help but stew over all these happenings. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but while he was partly glad to see this particular Glaive had bit the dust, it was fortunate he hadn't been the one to do it himself. Damn what Cor might have done about it - anyone that laid a hand on her would pay for it.

Ugh... There was that headache again. He rubbed his temple for a moment before he would pick her up from the couch, carrying her off towards the bedroom to lay her down. She felt like a light pillow in his arms. He did the best he could not to wake her up, and as he pulled the blanket over her, he brushed a few, copper strands aside, watching as her eyelids briefly would flutter, though she didn't stir from sleep.

 _"It was all for you, my dear..."_


End file.
